The Book of Hoyle Act 1
by hoshiko2kokoro
Summary: In the world of Hoyle there are many tales, but none as strange as the Kingdom of Spades. Multiple pairings aside from USUK.
1. Act 1 Part 1

In the darkness, everyone stood in the King's antechamber. Incense and candles had been lit to fill the air with a soft haze of smoke. Murmured voices drifted down the hall as people passed outside in the hallway. The Jack of Spades stood by the window watching as people from the kingdom stood just outside the palace gates, flowers in hands. Some placed them at the gates in hopes that the sick King would regain strength and rise from his bed. It was treason to speak of a possible death, but everyone knew it was coming.

No one more than the Queen of Spades. She stood by the King's bed with the priest and the palace physician, holding his hand and comforting him when he awoke, as she had done for the past fifty years. They met when both of them were young teens. Back then they were shy and unsure what being a King and Queen meant. But there was never romance. Never love. Only friendship and a lifetime companionship.

She watched with tears in her eyes as her best friend exhaled his last breath. Then, she kissed his hand and rested it on his chest. The doors to the antechamber opened and the group turned to look with baited breath. The Jack stood before the Queen with sorrowful eyes. She would only leave the King's side for only one reason.

"The King…is dead," she said solemnly.

Everyone bowed their heads and removed their caps if they wore any. The Jack reached for the Queen's hands, but she clasped them to her chest.

"As my last act as the Queen of Spades it is my duty to find the new Royal Family."

The Jack nodded. "Then, as my last act as the Jack of Spades it is my duty to inform the kingdom of the King's passing and to gather the Numbers."

The kingdom of blue and purple was drenched in black at the passing of their beloved king. By the end of the week, all counties had received the announcement. Thus began the process of finding the new Royal Family.

"Attention citizens of all numbers! Numbers One through Three are to travel to Capital Palace in Spade, the capital of the kingdom! Failure to do so will result in imprisonment for up to sixty days!" a royal official shouted from atop a stage.

Citizens mingled around and were handed flyers announcing mourning etiquette and the order to attend the Royal Counting. A middle-aged blonde woman took one of the flyers and rushed home. She stopped outside of her modest straw thatched hut. The corn had yet to pop up from the ground. When in season, the corn surrounded the hut in a beautiful golden arch, only parting along the walkway. But right now there was nothing but patches of freshly planted pumpkins for the fall season. Working outside was the woman's youngest son.

"Matthew," she called. "Is Alfred home?"

Matthew looked up from his work and turned to his mother. "Yes. He's with father."

The woman nodded and motioned for him to come inside. "I have an order from the Royal Family. The Royal Counting is starting tomorrow."

Matthew almost dropped his rake. "The Royal Counting? Oh, Alfred will be excited to hear about this!"

"Can you go and get him?" His mother disappeared inside.

Matthew put down his rake and headed to the back. The backyard led to the rolling hills behind their property. When Matthew and Alfred were young, the two would race one another up and down the hills, rolling down them in the summer, and sled them in winter. In the far distance was a graveyard. The small town in the America County was known for its corn and the most distinguished Ace graveyard.

It was here that Matthew found Alfred sitting before a grave. He was picking at the weeds, trying to keep it clean.

"Al," Matthew called as he came up behind him. "Mother wants us home."

Alfred turned. He pushed his glasses up on his nose and smiled. "Okay. I just thought I'd come and see father before coming home."

"It's the Royal Counting," Matthew said. "You have to leave tomorrow."

Alfred got up, a wide smile. "Yes! I was waiting for this day! I can get out of here!"

Matthew smirked. "You know, if I didn't know you any better, I'd think you hate it here."

"No, you know that's not true." Alfred looked out at the town, and then past that to see the Capital Palace in the distance. The County America was adjacent to Spade Capital. He sat facing it as if he had done so many, many times in the past.

"Al," Matthew started with a sigh. He sat down on the hill next to Alfred. "Tomorrow, when you go, I just want you to know…that if you're picked… You better not screw it up."

Alfred chuckled. He looked to his brother and lightly jabbed him in the shoulder. "Do you ever wish you could've been a One and not a Ten?"

Matthew shrugged. "I like being who I am. And you should be too."

"Well I am, but I don't like seeing you and mother being treated so horribly, while I'm treated as if I already was an Ace." Alfred looked down at the ground, his brow furrowing at the thought. "It's like they don't see me at all. They see father. I haven't proven myself."

"You just haven't been given the chance." Matthew put an arm around Alfred. "No matter what position you're born into, you have to deal with it and prove yourself. You could be the King and you'd still have to prove it."

"I guess…" Alfred kicked at a pebble, looking back out at the view.

Matthew smiled. "You know, when we were kids you always talked about going to that city. Tomorrow will be a special day for you. I know it. And when you go, the next time we see each other, you will be great like father."

Alfred looked at his hands, curling them into a fist. He socked Matthew on the arm and laughed. "When did you become so sentimental? Haha!"

That evening Alfred sat down with his mother in her bedroom. She was holding the Royal Proclamation, staring at it as if it were the same letter that proclaimed the death of her husband. Then, she looked up at Alfred and smiled.

"Mother, I'm not leaving for good," Alfred started.

She shook her head. "It's not the Counting. It's just that knowing a man as great as the King, a personal friend of your father, has died, it's like losing him all over again."

Alfred reached out to pull her into a hug against his chest. She sniffled once or twice, but kept her composure.

"When you were born, I knew you would be great," his mother started.

"Oh no, not you too." Alfred laughed. "Matt went into a 'you're great' story earlier too."

"Because it's true." Ms Jones pulled away with a wipe of her eyes. "You were born to be a One, but never an Ace. An Ace thinks sacrificing their life is the only way to save someone. But not you. You're smarter than that. Just remember your heart and always believe in it."

"Okay mom. I promise." Alfred kissed his mother's head and rubbed her back, still holding her close. "But I am coming home tomorrow. I promise. All right?"

Ms Jones made no movement to nod. She wasn't sure if Alfred _would_ be picked, but the fact was her child was leaving for the first time in his life made her believe something was going to happen. And something in her bones told her it was going to be big.

* * *

><p>Ms Jones packed a lunch and grabbed the shawl from the backyard that she had washed the previous night in expectation for her son's departure. She made him his favorite sandwiches and even included a roasted corn on the cob, his favorite home cooked treat. She only served those out of season when it was a special occasion.<p>

Alfred was waiting outside of the house, shooting the breeze with Matthew. Ms Jones slowly approached her son, hanging him the lunch, and then pulling him into a hug. He bent down, hugging her back. Then, Ms Jones pulled Matthew over as well. She kept her sons close before letting go.

Alfred waved as he walked away, looking back every so often to find his mother and brother hadn't moved. For a moment, he almost rushed back to them, but the allure of going to the capital and seeing the Queen herself was too enticing. He had never been to a large city on his own.

The county of America was the second largest in the Spades kingdom, China being the only one to beat it out, so the landscape changed from rural to urban quite often. The main city of America was too far for Alfred to have ever traveled to on his own, having only been once in his entire life. He was too young to remember anything more than big signs and steam powered machines that traveled through the streets.

Alfred traversed through the rural towns, waving at fellow farmer Tens and some Fives that passed by with carts from their merchant travels. He stopped to have lunch with some Sevens, taking a break from their construction. Just an hour from the capital, Alfred found an Eight selling food from a cart, and offered Alfred a complimentary hamburger as a good luck charm.

Finally, Alfred had arrived. After crossing the bridge, he tilted his head back as he looked around at the wide fortified wall of solid limestone that surrounded the entire city. His eyes were wide as he looked at the high rises. Steam-powered carts with people sitting comfortably inside puttered down the cobbled road. Cobbled. Not dirt. And above him hung banners of royal blue with the black emblem of the Spades insignia fluttered in the wind. In shop windows was the upside down Spade, which only showed when the Royal Family was in distress, either from war or death.

Alfred watched as people brushed past him, all of them from all walks of life. There were Ones and Twos sharing a spot on a bench under a far Oak tree, while Fours and Fives bartered over the price of some trinket. Even some Tens had managed to wander about the city, but they looked almost out of place among the more fanciful numbers, none more than the Twos.

A mob of Twos were hustling towards the palace with books clutched to their chests and heads bent low in secretive talks. They were most likely preparing for when the Twos were to be called in for the Counting. The Ones would be over in an hour. That gave Alfred some time if he wanted to peruse the city.

But as he watched the glittering Twos pass him by, he noticed one in particular was falling behind. He was on the shorter side, and yet he carried the most books. All of them were stacked one by one until it was a small tower that went higher than his head. None of the others in his group seemed to pay him any mind as they hurried along.

Alfred bit his lip, watching the man struggle, until he almost lost his hold on the books. Alfred rushed forward and caught them in time.

"Whoa! Careful there."

The Two sighed, "Thank you. I've got it."

"You sure you don't need some help?" Alfred smiled down at the blonde, noticing thick eyebrows and emerald green eyes. The eyes managed to take his attention off from the brows.

"Yes, yes, I'm fine. Thank you," the Two replied. He was from the county of England; the main county of Twos and Threes. Alfred knew this instantly by his accent, thick English that sounded vastly different from his own way of speaking.

The Two looked him over in disdain, obviously displeased at Alfred's attire. "Are you a Ten?"

"Actually, I'm a One," Alfred replied. "The name's Alfred Jones!"

The Two's eyes widened, sputtering, "J-Jones? So your father was the late Great Ace Jones!"

Alfred nodded slowly. He was used to people's reactions when he mentioned his name. His relation to his father made everyone change their opinion of him almost instantly.

"Wh-what are you doing wearing such distasteful clothing?" the Two asked.

Alfred frowned slightly. "Well… We don't have a lot of money, so we don't buy clothes much. This was the nicest outfit my family and I could afford."

The Two stuck his nose up, as if a bad smell had wafted under his nose. "Perhaps you should _dress_ like a One if you are to be taken seriously."

Then, the Two left with a huff and his nose even more upturned so that his head tilted back. Alfred almost laughed at him, but his pride was wounded more than anything, so he let the noble go without another word.

This trip to the city blows, Alfred thought as he walked with his head low. He probably could've dealt with anything, a bee sting, a pickpocket, falling on his face, but being looked down upon was something he was never prepared for.

But then a wonderful smell drifted past Alfred and his mood drastically changed. He grew excited as he whipped his head around to see just where that heavenly assortment of food was, only to see a modest crowd surrounding a small restaurant. Alfred saw steam coming from over their heads and assumed that was where that aroma came from.

He pushed through the crowd and made it to the counter. The restaurant was an open one with just a single counter and the menu hanging overhead. All, but one stool was full of people, all with steaming plates of noodles before them.

On the other side of the counter, an Asian man with long hair pulled back into a ponytail danced to and fro with a steaming hot Wok, tossing noodles up in the air like they were liquids. He tossed in cooked vegetables and poured in spices, the steam rising higher at the new additions. Then, the man dumped it onto a plate, replacing the Wok back on the fire pit. He placed the plate down before the customer next to Alfred.

"Whoa," Alfred murmured. He stared at the chef with stars in his eyes. "You're amazing!"

"_Shi shi_," he replied.

"Are you from China County?" Alfred asked. He had never met someone from the furthest flung county in Spades. It was exciting. Historically, China County was known for having amazing Threes, Fours, and Sixes. Recently, however, it was more known for Eights and Tens.

The man looked at Alfred and nodded. "What will you have, stranger?"

"Um…" Alfred looked up at the menu, quickly scanning for something with meat. "Oh! Pork!"

The man paused to raise an eyebrow. "It is still the mourning period. Meat of any kind is forbidden until the Counting is over. I am sorry, but I cannot serve you that. I have shrimp, though."

"That'll work."

Alfred sat back and watched as the man started up his furious dance. It wasn't cooking. Alfred refused to call it that. Cooking was more running about and worrying if the temperature on the stove was right so the food didn't burn. This man's style of cooking was passionate and fluid. He moved with grace, keeping his eyes on the food as he flipped it flawlessly up and down in the air. Eventually he tossed the shrimp in and the flames rose higher. A wide smile was on the chef's face. Finally, he dumped the food on the plate before Alfred.

Alfred stared at the steamy food, and then up at the Asian man. "You are amazing!"

The man chuckled. He tipped his hat in appreciation and moved back to his dancing.

Suddenly, an older man burst in from around the corner of the door leading into the chef's cooking station. He was a stout man with a long, black beard that curled to a point. He wore a small hat that perched on the top of his head with a small blue tassel hanging off the end. His sleeves were long and his pants were rather puffy as was the fashion from a man from the China County.

The chef stopped, dropping his Wok on the fire pit in alarm. He stumbled back, almost knocking into the counter.

"_De fùqīn_!"

The man sneered at the customers. "Leave!"

All, but Alfred hurried off, most without paying. Alfred was still eating, so he remained and watched unafraid.

The man ignored Alfred, thinking him harmless, and turned back to the Asian chef. "What do you think you're doing? You opened this restaurant again? Have I taught you _nothing_, _érzi_?"

The chef looked down in dismay, "But _de fùqīn, _I find joy in cooking."

The man reached out and grabbed the chef by his ponytail. The man yelped out in pain as he was tugged to the older man's face. "You are a Three! Not some lowly Eight!"

Alfred stopped eating. He had no right to interfere, but seeing the scene before him only made his blood boil. He was finding it hard to keep his temper under check.

"I know _de fùqīn_, but I just cannot stay within the confines of that study anymore," the chef pleaded. "Please, please let me go."

"I will do no such thing! You are to go home and prepare for the Royal Counting! Threes are expected to go in five hours!"

Alfred glanced at the sun and noticed he had spent more time admiring the city rather than doing what he came to do; be Counted. He slipped his hand into his pocket and pulled out a few coins to dispose them on the counter.

The sound of the coins clinking on the wood seemed to alarm the older Asian man. He looked at Alfred with wild, angry eyes. "What're you still doing here?"

Alfred mumbled an apology before stumbling away. He shot the poor chef a sympathetic look and vanished into the crowd. He sighed in relief as soon as he was free of that awkward confrontation. He wondered if the chef would be all right, but it wasn't his place. He would be in jail soon if he didn't come to the Counting.

It wasn't much farther to the palace. It loomed above the buildings, casting a cool shade from the early fall sun. The white of the walls showcased the blue roof. High towers reached into the afternoon sky, all adorned with lancet windows, some of which were decorated in the Spades symbol. Turrets jutted out off to the side, giving the structure look that seemed as if it were a rather well manicured bush rather than an actual palace.

Alfred stopped to stare, admiring every inch of the beautiful palace. This was not the main palace the Royal Family stayed at. It was more common for them to stay at the Seaside Palace in the Holland County. However, when royal matters took place such as a ball, or like today, a Royal Counting, the Family was to assemble at the Capital Palace.

Alfred approached the palace, appreciating the portcullis as he walked underneath it, and then entered a lush courtyard. Men and women all adorned in impressive clothes of more expensive fashion stood in line that wound up a flight of stone stairs and into what looked like the entrance into the ballroom. The courtyard had an impressive statue in the middle with the pathway splitting in two to curve around it, reuniting on the other side. There were well tended teal colored bushes and trees found only in the Spades region. Alfred tilted his head way back, noticing the tallest tower just behind the area of the Grand Ballroom. Atop it flew the flag of Spades that signified the Royal Family was in residence. Legend has it that the flag was hand sewn by the first Queen of Spades when the kingdom of Spades was first founded.

Alfred glanced at the statue to see it was an angel. She held a large clock in her hands, one placed on the top, the other on the bottom. Her wings curved around her, almost going as low as her simplistic dress. Her hair flowed around her, seemingly caught in time. Her eyes were closed and most of her face was hidden by the clock. Alfred squinted, barely making out that the angel had glasses on. How odd. Why would a statue of an angel have that included when it was made? Strangely, Alfred found himself staring until he heard footsteps beside him.

"Excuse me." Alfred turned to see a knight approach him. He was holding a scroll. "May I have your name?"

"Alfred Frederick Jones," he replied.

The knight nodded and checked off his name on the scroll. He looked down it slowly, and then lifted his head with a stern nod. "You are the last One to arrive."

"Wow!" Alfred exclaimed. He laughed once. "Good timing then, huh?"

The knight didn't hear him or care to hear. He turned to another knight who marched off. Alfred continued to look around at the palace interior. Then he saw an Ace coming his way.

An Ace was far more elegantly adorned than that of a knight. A knight would wear rather bulky full-bodied armor that clanked loudly and inhibited his ability to move quickly. He was more suited for attacks from afar, having a speed disadvantage in up-close battle. However, an Ace wore as little armor as possible. They were in metal boots that came up to their knees while wearing blue pants, a blue tunic with metal protection over their heart that stretched along their arms and came to a head as an elegant headpiece that looked more like decoration than a helmet.

Aces were more versatile. They were to know hand-to-hand combat, sword fighting, archery, and jousting. Knights were usually trained in just one form of battle, but not jousting. That was a luxury given only to Aces. Usually a kingdom would have a ten to twelve Aces. The highest ranking Ace would be named the Ace of their kingdom; in Spades that would be the Ace of Spades.

Alfred knew the names of all the Aces, and they knew him. He didn't want to cause any commotion over his celebrity status. He turned his face away in hopes the Ace missed his blonde hair and blue eyes. They marched past Alfred without so much as a glance. Alfred relaxed with an audible sigh.

"What're you sighing for?"

Alfred cried out in surprise, jumping a good foot in the air. He turned around to find the Two from earlier sneering at him again. Alfred put a hand to his heart in relief. "You startled me!"

"Jumpy, aren't we?" the Two asked with a smirk. "Thinking you're going to get picked?"

"I doubt it," Alfred said. Then he thought of something. He was a Two, but this was the line of Ones. "Why are you here?"

"I had been notified that the Two's counting was to begin soon," he replied. "I figured I might as well come now and reserve my spot in line. I would rather this be over sooner rather than later."

"How did you know so soon?" Alfred looked past the Two at the retreating Ace. "I was _just_ told I was the last One."

The Two shrugged. "I had been tipped off by my master."

"So, you're an apprentice?" Alfred smiled, intrigued.

Twos were more common as nobles, but they were also known to be practicing mages. The Queen of Spades was always to have a troupe of mages, seeing as the Queen was to be the strongest in magic in the four kingdoms of Hoyle. Traditionally, the Royal Family, once chosen for their positions, was to be endowed with amazing power unlike that of a normal Number. In each kingdom it was different. In the Kingdom of Spades, the King gains incredible strength, the Queen becomes an unbeatable witch or wizard, while the Jack is to be the wisest in the lands. Alfred wasn't sure about the Kingdoms of Hearts, Clubs, and Diamonds. He just knew what he was taught which, sadly, was not a lot given his number rank.

"I am," the Two replied. "I am the apprentice to the Lady-in-Waiting for the Queen."

Alfred's jaw dropped in awe. The Two smirked smugly as he crossed his arms. "Wow! You must be really powerful!"

"I am. One of the strongest mages of my age!" the Two bragged.

"That's so amazing! Can you show me sometime?" Alfred asked excitedly.

The Two quipped an eyebrow at Alfred. "And how would I do that? You don't live here in the Capital, so how would I be able to see you?"

Alfred thought for a moment, his eyes drifting off to look above the Two at the banner behind him. "Uh… Well. I could always come back. I have to take my Ace test in a year or so. Maybe we could be friends!"

The Two seemed a little put off by Alfred's statement. His shoulders tensed and he studied Alfred with narrowed eyes. Then he relaxed if only so slightly. "Perhaps."

"Well, first I have to know your name!" Alfred said, excited. Maybe this Two wasn't as bad as he had thought. The prospect of a new friend was exhilarating.

"Arthur Kirkland," the Two replied. He extended his hand, which Alfred took and shook.

For the briefest of moments, Alfred felt a spark tingle his fingers at where they touched Arthur's hand, and then slapped his arm back. He hissed in pain, noticing Arthur seemed troubled by his own hand.

"What was that?" Alfred asked, shaking out his hand.

Arthur hesitated before saying, "I believe my magic acted out on accident. Terribly sorry."

"It must be the farmer bit in my blood," Alfred laughed. "I am half Ten, you know. Guess the Two in your blood hates it."

"A half-Ten?" Arthur looked at his hand again before putting it into his pocket. "I have heard of half-Numbers existing, but I believe this is the first time I have ever met one."

"Am I some oddity?"

"Not at all," Arthur replied calmly. "It's just, well, the idea of Numbers marrying out of class is rather…uncommon."

Alfred shrugged. "Not as uncommon as marrying out of Suit."

Arthur frowned in disgust again, just like when he and Alfred first met. "That is too far out of line. Numbers should know their place and their Suit."

Now it was Alfred's turn to frown. "Well, love is love. Out of class or Suit, it doesn't matter. Same for gender, right?"

Arthur looked away, seemingly bored by the conversation now. "It matters not to me."

Alfred turned away, nibbling on his lip in thought. If Arthur was this conservative with everything it might prove to be difficult to remain his friend.

Eventually, more Twos lined up behind Arthur. Alfred and Arthur never struck up another conversation, no matter how much Alfred wanted to. Somehow he thought that Arthur found him annoying. Besides, they were almost to the Grand Ballroom. Alfred's hands suddenly became clammy. His heart pounded out of excited anxiety. It wasn't so much the Counting he was concerned about, but the chance to actually step foot in the palace.

No more looking at it from afar and dreaming of seeing it. He was really going to go inside.

The ballroom was further off and the Numbers were being filed into the Entry Hall that was just as impressive. It was covered with Spades carved into the blue walls and glistened from the polished marbled floors. Instead of the blue banners like from outside, the flags inside were black and had the Spades upside-down. Knights lined the walls, blocking off entry further down the entry hall which led to other rooms; probably washrooms and powder rooms.

Once past the Entry Hall, the Ones were shown into the actual ballroom. And it certainly was grand. The walls were made of gold, tinted periwinkle. Chandeliers hung from above with diamonds in the shape of Spades. Large paintings hung high up on the walls, flanking each side of the arched windows. Sunlight filtered in to create patches of light on specific spots on the floor. At the far end of the room were the thrones of the Royal Family. Behind them was the portrait of the Family; it would be removed upon completion of the Counting, replaced by the next Family.

Two grand staircases behind the thrones wrapped around the corner and came to meet, forming a landing where the thrones sat; the dais. Then, steps went down to the dance floor. The tread was covered in a blue runner. The balusters were a dark purple that seemed to spin upwards into the air until connecting with the banister. At the end of each side of the banister was a small Spade made from ivory.

"Wow…," Alfred whispered. He looked back at Arthur. "I bet you see this often, huh?"

Arthur's eyes slowly took in the room just as Alfred had. He composed himself and looked at Alfred. "Of course I have."

Alfred turned to admire the room some more before noticing where the line ended. The Ones approached the thrones and then left by way of walking up the left side of the staircases and exiting around the corner. Sitting on the left hand throne was the Jack of Spades while the Queen sat on the right throne. The center throne was shrouded in black fabric.

Alfred turned and grabbed Arthur by the arms, startling him. "It's the Queen and Jack!"

Arthur huffed, "Yes, I know. I've seen them before."

"You've _met_ them?" Alfred hissed. He didn't want others to hear him. Despite them being in a large room with hundreds of people, there was very little noise.

"I didn't say that," Arthur clarified. "I have simply _seen_ them. Once, the Queen came to my master's hall and asked for her help. She left with her while I was still there practicing. I wasn't allowed to speak in her presence, but I did see her."

"Wow!"

"That's your favorite word, isn't it?" Arthur asked.

Alfred had heard stories of the Royal Family from his father before his death. He described the King as a very tender, but passionate man. Whenever he mentioned wars from the past between one of the other kingdoms, Alfred noticed his father grew grave when talking of the King. When he grew older Alfred learned the King was more blood thirsty than people knew.

The Queen, however, was enigmatic. When young, the Queen was said to be involved in the kingdom, personally meeting with Numbers of all class. It wasn't until later in her life that she became more of a hermit. She rarely left the castles and preferred to stay locked in her chambers. Alfred's father said despite her solitary attitude, she was still a kind woman.

The Jack and Queen were rumored to have an affair, some even saying the Jack killed his own wife in hopes of marrying the Queen. However, the Queen had kept to the old legend that no Queen of Spades has married since the first Queen. And so she remained a "virgin". Alfred didn't believe she had never slept with anyone, but his father swore that she was very pure for a woman her age.

Halfway to the Queen, Alfred noticed what she was doing. The Queen and King were said to have clocks with them. The King's Watch was more a pocket watch, shaped like a Spade, and made of pure gold. It had been the first King's watch that he handmade. The Queen's Clock was larger and was only to be shown in times of formal occasions. However, it never worked. Also from the first monarchy, the Queen's Clock was just a round and gold clock. But the hands only moved on the day of the Royal Counting. The hands remained stationary at nine o'clock, point to twelve when finding the next Royal Family. The minute hand signaled the Jack, the hour hand was the Queen, and both hands were the King.

With Alfred only five feet from the Queen, everyone stopped. Had they just found a Royal Family member? The Queen stood and held her clock out in her arms. It was larger than her torso. She moved first left, but then came right. She stepped out around the crowd and held the clock out as if it were a water stick. People mumbled down the line in confusion.

Alfred looked back at Arthur. "What's going on?"

"I'm not sure," Arthur replied. "This has never happened. Usually the clock will only move when you are directly before the Queen. It seems the clock knows exactly who to go for before they reach the Queen."

Alfred's eyes widened slightly. He turned around to watch, but found the Queen standing before him. She had tired brown eyes and grey curly hair that flowed down past her shoulders. Wrinkles crinkled up around her lips as she smiled.

"We have found our new King," she said.

Quickly, the Ones, Twos, and Knights present all fell to one knee, ladies curtseying. Alfred looked around at everyone, even Arthur, bowing to him. The Jack and Queen approached Alfred, nodding to him as hands reached from behind him. They pulled him out of line and hustled him to the staircase. No one moved from their bowing position until he had past.

Just as Alfred reached the stairs he heard the Queen speak once more.

"We have found our new Queen."

Alfred whipped around. The Queen had turned just slightly to face Arthur. He stumbled back, his mouth agape, and hands up in defense. However more knights grabbed him. The two were shuffled up the right staircase and lead into a backroom, then through more doors and down more hallways. Alfred remained silently in shock the entire way.

Meanwhile, Arthur protested loudly. "There has been a mistaken! I demand to be re-Counted! I cannot be Queen! Unhand me! I said unhand me you imbeciles!"

Finally, the two were taken into the smallest room they'd seen since coming into the palace. It wasn't any less elegant than the rest of the palace. However this room had chairs and a sofa. Alfred took a seat, grateful after the two hour long wait just to get inside. The knights left with a bow.

Arthur paced around, muttering more of how it was all wrong, when the chimes of the bells came from outside. Alfred jumped up and rushed to the window. They were still on the ground floor. The view looked out at the line of people gathered in the court yard.

"Where are the bells?" Alfred asked aloud.

"The tallest tower is actually a bell tower," Arthur replied. "Three bells mean they have found a King, two for the Queen, and one for the Jack."

"Well, I didn't hear any other bell ring, so I guess they haven't found a Jack yet."

Arthur held his hands out at the empty room. "That and no one else is here."

Alfred took a seat again. He ran his hands through his hair. "What's going to happen…? Will I get to go home and see my mom and brother before I become King? What the hell? How did I end up as King?"

Arthur flopped dramatically into a chair of his own. "It's a mistake, the both of us. You are more unqualified than I am."

Ignoring his insult, Alfred looked at his hands. "They say the King becomes incredibly strong. Do you think I am?"

Arthur shrugged. He waved a hand at the sofa. "Pick up that couch and see."

Alfred moved to grab it, but found it was still too heavy even for his muscles. "Nope. Guess it's not a complete thing until all three of us have been found."

"Or until we're crowned. That takes at least two weeks to prepare for."

"Two weeks?" Alfred exclaimed. "How hard is it for us to just get crowns on our head and us to swear our allegiance to the kingdom? Seriously!"

"Idiot. It requires careful planning of the entire event. Important officials, politicians, and Numbers have to attend. Not to mention, the fellow kingdom royalties have to come and stay for a week of pleasantries."

"The _other_ kingdoms?" Alfred felt his throat go dry. It was shocking enough to see the Queen just two feet from him, but to see the other Royal Families of Hoyle sent him into a panicked frenzy.

"I can't do this," Arthur grumbled. "I will go see Queen Holly and tell her there's been a mistake."

"But the clock chose us. You even said that it knew exactly who to go to."

Arthur ran a hand across his face. "I know what I said. That doesn't mean I have to agree. You are too young and inexperienced. You are a Half!"

Alfred sat up straight in his seat. "What does that have to do with anything?"

"A Half-Number can't possibly be King! The kingdom will revolt!" Arthur flung his hands up in the air, face red from his anger. "And I cannot be Queen because… I just _can't_!"

"Well, I don't think the knights will let us leave," Alfred said grumpily. He slouched in his chair. Arthur's words had offended him. And now he was to rule beside him for the rest of his life? "So we're stuck here…"

* * *

><p>Two hours later a bell rang. Both men stared at each other. The Jack had been found. Moments later, the Asian chef Alfred had met previously stumbled in. He looked as bewildered as they had been upon being Counted.<p>

"Did the clock move over to you too?" Arthur asked tiredly.

"Y-yes," the chef replied. "So…you are the new… King and Queen?"

"Seems that way." Alfred rose and extended his hand. "I met you earlier. I was at your restaurant."

Arthur looked horrified. "An _Eight_?"

The chef shot Arthur an offended look. "I am a Three. Eights were not meant to come until the end of the week anyways."

"Right, my apologies." Arthur stood as well. "I am Arthur Kirkland."

"Yao Wang," the chef replied. He looked at Alfred, shaking his hand.

"Alfred Jones!"

Yao nodded. He brushed back a stray hair with a sigh. "Well… it seems we are all in this together. Long live Spades."

* * *

><p><em>Hoshiko2<em>'s cents: Hello and welcome to my brand new series! This series will be rather long and broken up into Two Acts. This is Act One and will have chapters under it. Act Two will begin when this Act ends.

The palace's Grand Ballroom was inspired from the movie _Anastasia_ and the ballroom at the beginning of the movie.

Also, to make it clear, here are the classes for the Numbers: 1-physical (Ace/Knight), 2-noble (magical or political), 3-arts, 4-banker, 5- merchants, 6-inventors (or research), 7-construction, 8-food, 9-retail (blacksmiths, etc.), 10-famers (former slaves; will explain later).


	2. Act 1 Part 2

Three men stood in the room with dismayed looks and unspoken pain. Yao still stood by the door, unsure of where to put his hands exactly or where to look. Alfred was by the window, watching as the Numbers dispersed and the black flags were removed from their hangers. Now, blue and purple flags waved in the wind. The mourning period was already over.

Footsteps caused Yao to move aside from the door. A moment later, two knights entered. They briefly looked at the three men before moving aside and allowing the Jack and Queen to enter.

Arthur rose, bowing quickly. Alfred and Yao turned, giving a polite bow to the royalty.

"My, what sad faces we have here," the Queen commented. She frowned lightly, but there was still mirth in her eyes. "Is something wrong? Are you not happy with the decision?"

Arthur moved forward, but bowed quickly. "Queen Holly, your Majesty, forgive me, but…I think you have made a mistake."

The Queen's eyebrows lifted slightly as she pursed her lips in curiosity. "A mistake? How do you mean?"

Arthur put a hand to his chest. "I cannot be Queen."

"And why is that?"

"I just… I can't!"

The Queen smiled slightly. "Is it because you are male and the Queen is normally a position filled by a female, because I need not remind you that the Queen of Hearts is also a male."

"No, that is not it," Arthur replied, slightly red. He looked down at the ornate rug. "I just… I don't agree with the decision."

"I'll need to hear good cause," the Queen said calmly. She folded her hands in her lap, staring at Arthur expectantly.

Arthur clenched his fists, and then turned to point at Alfred. "I can't rule beside _him_! He is a half-Number!"

The Queen and Jack looked to Alfred. Alfred turned with wide eyes, but then grew defensive.

"Hey! You don't even know me! My class number means nothing! But if you're so keen on Numbers then you'll be happy to know that I'm _registered_ as a One! Starting next year I start my training to be an Ace!"

The Jack narrowed his eyes as he looked Alfred up and down. "You… Are you the son of Josiah Jones?"

Alfred nodded, but didn't look away from Arthur. "Look you, if you don't want to rule with me because you don't like me, fine. But don't put down my mother's side of the family, the side that makes up another part of me!"

"You have no idea how politics or the way this kingdom works!"

"Well excuse me for taking care of my family after my father's death! That's not my fault! A One isn't _allowed_ to know the workings of the kingdom!"

Yao moved over, pushing Alfred and Arthur apart from each other. In their argument, they had moved closer and their voices had risen in volume. The Queen and Jack just stood by and watched; both exchanging glances before smiling to themselves.

"Hey! Calm down! This is no way to act in front of the Royal Family!" Yao yelled.

Arthur and Alfred turned away with embarrassed expressions and boiling stubbornness. Yao dropped his hands with a relieved sigh. He hoped this wouldn't be a recurring thing between the pair. The Queen smiled to herself, a hand over her mouth to hide her joy at the scene.

The Jack sighed. "Listen, do you think _we_ liked this job when we took it over? We were younger than you lot, so no, we didn't. I was fourteen, Holly was thirteen, and Philip was sixteen. You just have to work with what you have."

Arthur and Alfred glanced at one another. Alfred nibbled on his lip in regret for how his foolish behavior had come over him. He had to keep his emotions under control better. He was the new king.

Again, his stomach churned and clenched. He looked back out the window, wondering what he'd be doing if he were home. Probably enjoying a lovely meal with his mother and Matthew as he rambled about the excitement of the day in the capital. If Arthur and Yao had still been chosen, they would've been allowed to have pork, but not beef. Alfred would have proudly gone to his neighbor, talking about the Counting, and then received a freshly slaughtered slab of pork in celebration for finding the Queen and Jack.

Instead, he was here, in this lavish meeting room with a man he did not like, another he did not know, and two of the three members of the Royal Family, not to mention an imaginary crown floating over his head, hunching his shoulders.

The Jack stepped forward, a stern look to his old face. "As it is, you are no longer Numbers. Numbers mean nothing to you three now, other than those who works for you. You will find that being in this Family will bring about the most freedom you'll have ever experienced in your life."

"But it will also be the most restricting thing," the Queen continued solemnly. She smiled as the trio stared at her nervously. "Well! Shall we start the tour! Until you three are crowned, Will and I are to assist you into assimilating into the Royal Family and all it entails."

The Jack smiled at the Queen. "Would you like to start?"

"Oh! Can I?" The Queen giggled as she clapped her hands.

Arthur and Yao raised their eyebrows. Just a moment ago she looked far too stern for her sweet, old face, and now she wasn't acting like how a Queen should. Giggling? Clapping like an excited infant?

"Um, excuse me," Alfred stared. He blushed, nervous, as the Jack and Queen stared at him. "Uh… What happened? Arthur said the Clock has never…done what it did before. So, can I ask what happened?"

"It's 'may I', Alfred," Arthur hissed under his breath.

The Queen smiled, not at all upset by Alfred's question. She folded her hands in her lap and resumed looking like how a Queen should. It was curious; was she that good at closing off her emotions at will or did she act?

"You are correct when you say that the Queen's Clock has never acted in the manner it did today. When I was Counted I had to wait until I was before the Queen to be found, so I am not sure why this has happened." The Queen looked to the Jack, but he had nothing to say either. She turned back to the trio. "All I can say is… the Clock knows how important you three are. I expect you will have a very eventful reign, Alfred."

There was an audible gulp, but from whom, no one knew. All three men would deny it was them, despite the sweat slipping down their foreheads.

The Jack cleared his throat. "Holly…maybe we should get on with the tour before we suffocate these young men?"

"Oh!" The Queen laughed again. "How foolish of me, forgive me! Yes, let's start the tour."

The Queen held her hands out and looked around the room they were in. The room was grand, yes, but not too grand. It wasn't nearly as ornate as the other rooms the trio had been in before. Alfred took this moment to look around and notice the paintings on the wall and the furniture aside from the chair Arthur had been sitting in. The paintings were of wondrous events in the Spades history, wars, glorious invasions, luxurious celebrations. One in particular caught Alfred's eye.

It was of a woman with long blonde hair that seemed to be clutching a large book to her chest. She was running away from people. They looked important as they were not wearing normal Number attires, but they were of different colors. Maybe from other kingdoms? Why was the woman running away?

"This is the Meeting Room," the Queen began, interrupting Alfred's thoughts and tearing his eyes away from the painting. "Every morning you three are to meet here. You will review your schedules, making sure that you agree with it, and checking to see if you meet up at least one time during the day. The monarchy is to always meet once a day every day, unless one of you is away, that is."

"The monarchy cannot exist without cooperation," the Jack continued. He looked at each of them pointedly as he said, "Neither of you can keep secrets from each other. I know that right now you are strangers that have met today, but put that aside. You are to live in close proximity with each other from now until you die. The kingdom comes first and always first, even before yourselves. Remember that. Phillip did and that was what made him great."

The trio was quiet, letting another hard sentence sink in. First the comment from the Queen about their reign and now this?

The Queen cleared her throat and resumed her explanation of the Meeting Room. "The Meeting Room is where you will have breakfast. No one other than your servants will be here with you, so you need not worry about other politicians. Your castle in Holland County will have a Meeting Room, as well as all the places are about to show you."

After the Queen finished her explanation of the historical importance of this room (something more about the first Queen of Spades), the group headed down the hallways they had just come from when they had been Counted. The palace had been bustling with servants, maids, knights, and others that had worked tirelessly to make the Counting run smoothly, but now it was quiet. The knights were all that remained as it seemed the servants and maids had rushed off to do business elsewhere in the expansive palace.

They reentered the Grand Ballroom and were given a brief explanation. All the castles had a Grand Ballroom, all very similar to this exact one. This was where the Coronation was to be held. Any other grand event, such as a ball, was to be held in their respective castle's Grand Ballroom.

Alfred turned and frowned. Already the painting of the Royal Family had been taken down. An empty space was all that remained.

"Wow, you guys sure don't waste time changing to a new Family," he said off-handedly.

The Queen grew solemn. "When the King dies, the Royal Family must find a new King so as to keep the kingdom at peace. If not, we are susceptible to invasion or chaotic riots or much worse until we fill the void. If the Queen or Jack is to die, they are not to be replaced. The King is to rule without them."

Alfred rubbed at his arm, looking at the Queen from across the way. "Why… is the King so important?"

The Jack sighed and stepped forward. "We will explain later. For now, the tour?"

They continued on without much incident. There was much to see in the palace; the Grand Hall where Twos and Ones from met with the monarchy to discuss matters dealing with counties, the kitchens, the Banquet Hall for meals, and the Antique Room where the Queen's Clock and the King's Watch were store. Among the antiques was also the Jack's Sword.

Yao's eyes widened. "I had no idea the Jack had a weapon."

The Jack smiled, lightly tracing his hand over the hilt. "Well, I never had to wield it. We were only at war for a short while and Philip ordered me to keep the home front secure. The war never reached the Spades' lands so… I pray you never have to use it either."

After the Antique Room came the Grand Library. Upon entering Yao gasped and bent his head back at the walls covered in floor to ceiling bookshelves. Even Arthur was impressed. Alfred, however, didn't care much for books. He didn't read often and could barely write well enough given his few years in proper education.

The Jack turned with a smile and held his arms out. "Yao, this is where you will be living most of the time. I hear the library at your new Holland Castle is much more amazing than this here old library. The one at our America Castle was cut into two sections as the first wasn't large enough for me, so I had asked the King to build me a new section."

Yao didn't look half as excited as the Jack. Alfred glanced at him, seeing his shoulders fall and the light in his eyes fade. He never let on that he was upset by this new the Jack was enthusiastically telling him. It was more like he had just accepted his fate.

Alfred thought back to earlier that day when he had first met Yao. The way he moved about when he cooked. It was exciting. It was thrilling. He looked alive. He didn't looked resigned or pale in the face, not until his father appeared (or what Alfred guessed was Yao's father) and forced him to close up shop.

A pang of sympathy went through Alfred. It seemed he and Yao were being forced into this position, just like outside as a regular Number. Yao wanted to be an Eight while Alfred wanted to be, well, anything that wasn't a One or an Ace. Looking to Arthur he didn't know. It seemed Arthur quite liked his place in life. If the way he boasted about his magic skills were any indication he should be happy to be the Queen now. The Queen was said to have an unspeakable amount of magical skill. If he was the great Two of his time then this should surely be an amazing feat indeed.

So then why was he so surly? Was it because of Alfred? Did he just not want to rule alongside him? The racist remarks he had made earlier were more than enough to convince Alfred. But he wasn't the type to fight fire with fire. He would have to prove to Arthur that not all Tens, or half-Numbers in that case, were stupid or meant any less than a Two.

Finally, they headed outside. This was not the Courtyard that they had entered the palace through, but rather a beautifully manicured rose garden. The rows of roses seemed to turn even the grass red with their brilliant hue. Petals wafted to the ground, lightly fluttering with the breeze. There was a smell in the air, not that of the flowers, but of something else. Something old. Something loved.

"Here is the Rose Garden," the Queen said, smiling fondly at the garden.

Arthur stopped and stared, his mouth agape. "It's…beautiful."

"Legend has it the first King of Spades planted these for the Queen here. As a result, all of the castles have a Rose Garden to match this, though I believe this palace has the loveliest of gardens. He planted this garden to prove his love to the Queen. Each day he would pick the most beautiful of the roses and would give it to the Queen."

"How romantic," Arthur sighed.

Alfred was slightly surprised. He didn't take Arthur to like such things. Then, an idea struck him.

He plucked the nearest rose and held it out to Arthur. The man sputtered as he stumbled back, face as red as a rose. The Queen caught them and giggled while Yao and the Jack rolled their eyes.

"A-Alfred?" Arthur stuttered.

"I thought I would keep the tradition going," Alfred replied, grinning.

The Queen smoothly said, "But no one has done this act since the first Queen."

"Then, let's start it back up again!" Alfred winked at Arthur.

Arthur hesitated. He stared at the rose, and then up at Alfred, thinking. "…You don't know what a red rose means, do you?"

"It's a pretty flower?" Alfred offered.

Arthur sighed, prompting more giggles from the Queen and even more eye rolls from the pair of Jacks off to the side.

"Fine," Arthur huffed. He took the rose.

His fingers happened to brush Alfred's, and when he did, the same shock from their handshake earlier jolted up their arms. Both men jumped back in surprise and with a slight yelp. Arthur clutched his hand to his chest, looking at the rose and then at his fingers.

"You!" Alfred exclaimed, pointing at Arthur. "This is the second time your magic has shocked me!"

Arthur blushed, embarrassed. "I-I'm terribly sorry. I-it has never done this twice in one day."

"Is there a problem?" the Queen asked patiently.

"Arthur's magic has backfired on me…twice in one day!"

The Queen seemed more amused than concerned. "Oh dear… How terrible. And yet…interesting."

"Come along," the Jack called.

As they passed through the Courtyard, Alfred stopped to stare at the statue of the angel that he had seen earlier that day. He remembered the painting from the Meeting Room and realized that was why he was so interested in the woman. She was the same woman as this statue.

"Alfred?" Arthur called. He came up beside him and looked at the statue. "What is it?"

"Who is this woman?" Alfred asked.

The Queen glanced at the statue only briefly before looking away, almost as if in disgust. "That is the first Queen of Spades."

"We keep hearing her name a lot today," Yao commented.

"Yes well, this palace used to be where the first Family resided back before all of the castles," the Queen explained. "The King of Spades loved her dearly and her influence on him can be seen everywhere. It was like he wanted to fill her in almost every nook and cranny of this palace."

"Why the wings?" Alfred asked.

But when no one replied he looked to the Jack and Queen and found them looking away. They almost seemed pained to say anything. They turned in unison and began to leave the Courtyard. Then, the Queen slowed her steps.

"You would be wise to not ask much about the Queen of Spades. She is not a good biography to learn about."

At this, Yao raised an eyebrow. He had only heard passing stories of the first Queen in his studies, but paid them no attention. He didn't care much for the history of the monarchy. It didn't concern him unless a war involved them. Most of the time Yao enjoyed to read about travels and inventions and explorations rather than coddled monarchs.

Suddenly the Jack turned to the Queen with a bright smile. Almost forced. "Well, it looks to be about time for your tea time. Shall we?"

Tea time was an event all in itself. Usually, Alfred never had tea. He preferred coffee. However, he didn't feel right asking for his choice of drink at the moment and swallowed the tea instead. The tea cups were of different shades of blue with the black spade along the sides. At the bottom of the cup was a golden spade that twinkled in the light as if to congratulate the drinker for finishing off their drink.

Arthur and the Queen were obviously well versed in tea time and enjoyed themselves as they chatted about magic spells and the mage world that Alfred and Yao were completely clueless about. The Jack ignored them and seemed to fade out of the conversation completely, ignoring that Alfred and Yao were even then.

After a time Alfred decided he would ask about his future duties. He cleared his throat to gain everyone's attention and then voiced his concern.

"Um, I don't know what the King does exactly. I'm hoping there are going to be classes or I'll have a tutor or something. Being a One arranged to become an Ace I received, well, the education appropriate for my future title. So…I'm sorry if I don't know everything."

The Jack looked relieved to move the topic of conversation away from something as "trivial" as magic and turned fully in his seat to address Alfred.

"The King is the one with the most power in the monarchy, but he also has the most restrictions. He is the only one who can declare war and peace, draw up treaties, and approve all laws. The monarchy is to work together in matters of national matters such as laws and any actions necessary in the counties, but in the end, only the King can allow anything to pass.

"If Yao wanted to pass some law, say on food or what have you, he would have to gain approval from only you, Alfred. The same is applied to you, Arthur. If you wanted to draw up your own law, Alfred, then you would have to gain approval not just from Arthur and Yao, but from the parliament as well."

"Can Parliament write up laws?" Alfred asked.

"Yes," the Jack replied. "But they would have to gain approval from their county, then a good majority of the parliament has to agree, and finally it must be approved by all members of the monarchy. This can be overruled if you, Alfred, decide that the bill is good enough and it can bypass all these steps and go straight to you."

"However," the Queen interrupted. "If the Queen and Jack decide that this law is not worthy or could be too dangerous or whatever, they can garner support and have it blocked. All three branches of the monarchy must work together, that is why cooperation is key."

"So…what exactly do all of the positions do?" Alfred looked at Arthur and Yao. "I mean… I get all of that, but what do they have?"

"The Queen is to be involved in the affairs of Parliament," Arthur replied. His tone was as if he were reciting a line out of a book that he knew from memory. Knowing him, he was. "The Jack is the scholar and main advisor to the Queen and King."

"So… What do I do?"

Arthur sighed. "You are hopeless."

"No, he has a valid question," Yao said. He held a hand up to prevent Arthur from speaking any further. "Alfred, you are to merely be involved in everything. That is why the King is so important. He has so much to do, but there are so many twists and turns to keep you from completely controlling the power of the monarchy."

"So…I have to know everything about the kingdom at every given moment, know all of the history of the kingdom, be involved in the affairs of my kingdom, and keep an eye on the other kingdoms?"

"Correct," the Queen said happily. "See? You do catch on. And do not worry, Alfred. We have two weeks until the Coronation. Will and I will be living here with you three to help you along. There will be classes of history, politics, and manners every day."

"Does Arthur need to go?" Alfred asked with a nod at the blonde beside him. "I mean he seems to know everything and he comes here every day, right? He can skip them."

Jack frowned. "Alfred, try to get along with Arthur. He's had just as troubled a day as you."

"Yeah well he doesn't have the entire kingdom on his shoulders." Alfred's tone caused Yao to look at him in aghast and Arthur glare at him for his insolence. The Jack and Queen were unaffected by his cranky behavior.

The Jack tried to sound sympathetic. "Alfred, I'm sorry that so much has befallen on you. I truly am. I remember Philip was as troubled as you are now when he was Counted. It is never easy. When I was first Counted I tried to put on a brave front, but I assure you that I was terrified as well."

"I know Arthur and Yao are as upset as you," the Queen said quietly. "Please, don't think you are alone in your situation."

"At least I'm not racist," Alfred grumbled.

At that, Arthur stood up. His chair made no sound on the lush rug underneath him. He stared at the opposite wall with a set jaw.

"Excuse me," he whispered, and then left.

The Queen watched sadly. She noticed he had left his rose on the table, having held on to it since the Rose Garden.

* * *

><p>"Alfred?"<p>

Said man stopped. He had been heading down the hallway to his chambers. His head spun with a terrible migraine and all he wanted to do was lie down and sleep. But the Queen had called him and he wasn't about to refuse her.

"Yes your Majesty?"

The Queen looked up at Alfred, a good foot taller than her, and gave a gentle smile. She reminded him of his mother, and he felt a pang of longing to go home. He hadn't felt it all day as his mind was wrapped around the events of the day, but standing here now he realized he should be at home with his mother, helping his brother, and getting ready for bed.

"I understand that you have promised your mother that you would be home today, is that true?"

Alfred's jaw dropped slightly. "How… How did you know?"

"I have my ways." The Queen patted Alfred's arm softly with a hum of a giggle. "Now then, if you were to say something to her, say through a letter, what would you say?"

Alfred bit his lower lip, unsure if he should really say what was on his mind. That he hated being the king already. That he was hungry. That he didn't like his Queen and knew nothing about his Jack.

"I miss you," Alfred said suddenly. "And I'm sorry I broke my promise to come home. Matt's in charge now, it seems, but I will come home. Someday. I will see you again. Please take care of father while I am gone. And I love you."

The Queen's eyes glowed. She held up the hand that had rested upon Alfred's arm and a burst of green energy sparked in the air for a moment before evaporating like a smoke after a candle had gone out. Alfred jumped back in surprise, and then smiled widely as if he were a child full of wonder.

"It is done," the Queen declared happily. "There is a letter on your dining table where your mother is sure to find it. I'm certain she was worried if you were hurt on your journey home. You have put her worries to rest."

"Thank you, your Majesty. Really. I just." Alfred laughed. He had never seen real magic before. It overwhelmed him in the kindness, the first of the day that he'd been shown since leaving home.

"I know you've had a long and tiring day. I've been there, remember?" The Queen looked out the window just to Alfred's right. She seemed to be lost in her memories as she spoke. "I remember when I first met Philip. I didn't like him too much. He was like you, brash and young and full of too much vigor for me. I was a well-to-do lady that was more meek and reserved, a lot like Arthur."

At this she returned her gaze to Alfred. "It seems the Queens tend to stay on the same line of personality, same as the Kings and Jacks. But please do not think badly of Arthur. He… He has gone through a lot just like you in such a short amount of time on this planet."

Alfred tsked and looked away. "Yeah. Right. He was pampered as a Two all of his life and now he's going to be pampered even more. Oh, such a hard life."

"And if one were to look at you they would think you were nothing but a dirty Ten who worked in the fields and never learned his alphabet, am I right?" Alfred nervous glanced at the Queen. She emitted an immense amount of patience instead of anger or frustration. "It seems Arthur is not the only one who's a little bit racist."

Alfred didn't know how to respond, and so he looked to his feet, shoulders hunched in defeat. The Queen simply patted his shoulder and walked past him briskly.

"Good night, Alfred."

* * *

><p>For two weeks the palace was all a fluster trying to arrange for the Coronation. Alfred had been whisked away by tutors, public officials, and the Queen and Jack without a moment's rest. He hardly saw much of Arthur and Yao. It actually bothered him to not be with the other two.<p>

He didn't really know why. He saw them in the morning and that worked well enough. Judging by their tired faces and lifeless responses to the Queen's daily "how are you today?" they were having as hard a time adjusting to royal life as he was. And for that, Alfred felt that they were his brothers in arms during this entire episode. Not only that, but he'd like to see them and get to know them better rather than just being thrust into this position with such a little connection between them. All he knew were their Numbers and that they didn't enjoy being Queen and Jack.

That wasn't much to go off of.

Nevertheless, Alfred made do with what he had. He found that was really all he could do, and it was a motto he found he was beginning to follow so he could stay alive. Over the course of these two weeks Alfred had been whacked on the head, knuckles, knees, back, and in the gut at his mistakes. He had learned to balance books, walk with a straight back, manage to stand for more than two hours (his record was four), and not tap his foot impatiently when at the dinner table.

Arthur, on the other hand, seemed to be fairing much better. He already could walk properly and knew how to hold his utensils at the table correctly. He also seemed more capable of keeping his emotions in order, whereas Alfred was prone for yelling at his tutors for the constant abuse.

Yao also did rather well, but still had some trouble. In some areas, such as walking and standing, he did much better than even Arthur. However, in other areas such as staying awake or speaking properly, he was worse than Alfred.

For just one moment, Alfred wanted to take Yao and Arthur aside and talk to them. Really talk to them. Know who they were. Why they hated this position as much as he did. What they did before they became this Family. And, most importantly, what they thought of Alfred. Not one to be mindful of other people's opinions, he found that it consumed his every thought. Public opinion now mattered.

Would he be a good king? Would people really revolt when they learned he was a half-Number? Would the other kingdoms think him weak? Would he get along with the rest of the Family? How would his own family deal without him there?

All of this and the looming presence of the Coronation wore Alfred out. He couldn't sleep at night from his destructive thoughts, and during the day he was forced to stay awake no matter how bushed he was.

Now, he wandered the halls at night, looking for something to put him to sleep. He figured maybe the Grand Library would be a good place to start, but stopped when he remembered he didn't know where it was. Since seeing it the first day, he hadn't gone back since. In fact, most of his days were spent cooped up in his antechambers with tutors. He hardly even got a look at the Rose Garden either.

He'd even settle to hear Arthur throw harsh words his way if only to feel that there's still some normalcy and not everything in his life had changed. True, the day he had met Arthur and heard him get upset was when nothing made sense anymore, but it was, surprisingly, something he held on to. Even worse, Yao hadn't cooked since they began their training.

At this, Alfred's stomach growled loudly. He groaned to match its volume and headed towards the Kitchen instead. The servants would be asleep, but Alfred knew how to cook for himself.

Just before he entered there was a loud _CLANG_ and Alfred pushed himself up against the wall as if he were about to get in trouble. But when no one came to scold him he peered around the corner.

It was Arthur. And he was cooking. Or trying to. When there was a flash of blue light against the stone walls Alfred realized he was trying to cook with magic. But it was all going horribly wrong. And Arthur knew it as he cursed and hissed in pain at the backfired spells.

Alfred guessed even magical cooking was difficult. He took pity on Arthur and decided he would help him, so he strolled into the kitchen, pretending that he hadn't caught Arthur. He yawned to announce his arrival and Arthur turned in surprise.

"What are you doing awake?" Arthur asked, smoothing down his slightly singed clothes.

"I could ask you the same." Alfred smiled as he looked at the stove. "You cooking?"

"N-no," Arthur admitted sheepishly. "I…I'm not very good at cooking, but I'm so famished I just…"

"Hey, don't worry about it. Cooking is hard. Here, let me help you." Alfred moved to push Arthur aside so that he could take over, but Arthur stopped him with a persistent shake of his head.

"No, that's quite all right. I can handle it myself."

"Aw, c'mon. Please!" Alfred reached out and grabbed the frying pan, not realizing Arthur's hand was still firmly grasping it. There was no shock this time, but they reared their hands back as if there had been one. Both looked away, forgetting what they had been arguing about.

"Aiyah, what are you two doing awake?"

Both men looked over to see Yao walking into the room. He was yawning and rubbing his eyes. Seeing him in pajamas with long sleeves that stretched beyond his hands, he looked younger than even Alfred. Surprisingly, Yao's age was never mentioned much and neither man knew how old he really was.

"We're hungry," Alfred replied for Arthur. "Are you hungry too?"

"I'm almost always up at this hour to cook something for myself." Yao moved to grab ingredients from the nearby pantry and then collected pots and pans along the way.

Arthur and Alfred moved aside to let him have access to the stove. They never questioned him. Instead, they were enchanted by his fluid movements as he began to cook, never asking what he was making and never caring what it was turning out to be. Yao moved as if he were a dancer, having done years of performances and never growing tired of his routine. It was obvious from the way he moved that he was enjoying himself.

"Wow," Arthur breathed. "That was… You really can cook, can't you?"

Yao nodded as he placed the three plates on the counter before them. "If you want to eat some you can. I made enough for all of us."

Alfred snatched his plate and wasted no time on manners. He tipped the plate towards his mouth, opened wide, and let the noodles and rice slide to him. Arthur watched, disgusted, and turned away. He thanked Yao, and then delicately ate at the food. Yao was laughing at Alfred's reaction.

"In my county, the way you eat, Alfred, is a sign of great respect," Yao said, starting on his own food. "You must really like my meals."

"Oh God, you make the best food I've ever had!" Alfred burped. He chewed with his mouth open and talked with it full, sauce dribbling down his chin and pieces of rice stuck to the sides of his lips.

Arthur wanted to flick the pieces away or reach over and wipe his mouth, but he refrained from doing so. That would be just as embarrassing. If Yao minded, he didn't say anything.

The three ate in silence, or as much silence as they could with Alfred's loud way of eating, before Yao asked the obvious question of why they were awake. "Are you worried about tomorrow's Coronation?"

Alfred stopped eating and Arthur placed his fork on the counter. Neither man spoke or looked at each other, unable to come forward and say it. Even Yao wasn't willing to admit his nerves. Alfred looked from Yao to Arthur and then to his plate.

"This is stupid," Alfred said aloud. Yao and Arthur look at him. "All of this pomp and circumstance. It's stupid! Why do we have to be here at all?"

"Because the King died," Arthur replied simply, picking back up his fork and continuing eating.

"No, but I mean, why us? What makes us so special?" Alfred pointed to each of them as he spoke. "You're a Two who can't cook, you're a Three that hates working in a library, and I'm half that just wants to go home. If you think about it, it's really stupid."

Yao smiled and held up a finger. "Ah, but remember, we are not Numbers anymore. We shouldn't think of it that way. We are in this together. It's for the kingdom."

"Yao's right," Arthur chimed in. "It's irresponsible for us to think of ourselves first anymore. What we had we can never get back."

"Yeah, so let's just work with what we've got!" Alfred held a hand out, waiting for Arthur and Yao. They looked to him, confused. "C'mon! Put your hands on mine. We'll make a pact!"

"We're making a pact tomorrow in front of the kingdom," Arthur sighed.

Alfred shook his head quickly. "No, no! A pact between us. Tomorrow is tomorrow and it's a promise to the kingdom. I'm talking about just us three. We'll always be there for each other. Never let the other face their battles alone. Everyone is a Number, but us, we're the Faces. So let's stick together, okay?"

Yao smiled and put his hand atop Alfred's. He looked to the blonde confidently and nodded. "I promise."

Arthur hesitated. He wasn't used to such declarations as the one Alfred so easily gave off. He looked at Yao first, feeling better at his calm and certain eyes, and then to Alfred. The man who would be King come tomorrow. He didn't have to instantly start trusting him, but he should at least like him. It seemed he was trying his hardest, and for the most part, his heart was in the right place. That should be a good starting place.

He put his hand atop Yao's.

"I promise."

* * *

><p>Horns blared and blue banners flew. The drums beat in the towers. People cheered from the streets as the royal coaches rolled down the cobbled streets, their proud horses glittering with the colors and symbols of their kingdom. While the palace had rushed to get ready for the Coronation, the capital itself had cleaned itself up as well.<p>

The shops had proudly displayed their finest items, polished to perfect, in the front windows. Restaurants cooked their greatest foods so that the streets were overwhelmed with the smells of the Spades kingdom. Merchants stood proudly by their carts, dressed in their best attire, and waving at the foreigners that had tagged along to watch the Coronation. All around, music played from wandering minstrels and court musicians.

From his window Alfred watched the magnificent procession. He tugged on his collar nervously. Already fitted into his Coronation clothes he found he could hardly breathe. The servants had arrived early that morning before the sun rose and rushed him to bathe and change. Within moments he had been dressed in the finest silks, draped in a long cape with a fur collar around his shoulders, and had glittering gold spade decorations dangling from his sash that wound over his shoulder and down across his chest to tie at his waist. All in all it felt too heavy and bulky and made walking difficult, but damn if he didn't look good.

He even admired himself in the mirror a few times before noticing one thing that stood out the most. Somehow, without him knowing, the King's Watch had been placed on a table behind him. It rested on a lush purple pillow and gleamed in the daylight peeking through the window.

Alfred turned from his spot and carefully made his way over to it. He jingled as he crossed the room. It was made of pure gold and was designed in the shape of a spade, just like everything else. A silver chain that would attach to Alfred's belt buckle during the ceremony trailed off underneath the pillow to give almost an illusion that it was a necklace rather than a large pocket watch. He would then wear it whenever he was out of the castle, visiting other kingdoms, or any other gala event.

Just then, the Queen entered. She smiled and waved towards the door. Her servants rushed in and took the pillow with the clock away. Alfred was to follow the Queen and have the procession walk behind him. The Queen would then lead him to the Grand Ballroom. Yao and Arthur were to already be there having already been crowned. Their procession was to be slightly less luxurious; Yao's being the least extravagant as compared to Alfred who was the finale in the Coronation.

When Alfred entered the room he was met with a ballroom full of people stand in orderly lines, all eyes trained on him. He remembered his training of standing upright, and all of his practices of the event. He walked down the stairs, servants carrying his cape, followed the Queen until she stopped by her old throne, now inhabited with Arthur who stood before it. He already had his crown on.

Alfred glanced at the crown. It was small and curved around with small spades that connected at the round edges. At the points of the spades were small diamonds. Alfred counted seven spades in all. Yao's wasn't nearly as beautiful. There were no diamonds on it and the spades seemed a little less detailed in comparison. The crown was gold and had six points. Under each point was a spade with a blue gem in the middle of each one.

The Jack stood beside Yao and waited, holding the Jack's Sword. The Queen was then handed the Queen's Clock. Alfred was to stand alone, in front of his throne, before all of the people gathered before him. It's a good thing he wasn't nervous or this would've been rather difficult a task.

A man dressed in robes approached Alfred. He muttered things in another language, possibly the Dead Language that Alfred had heard mentioned once in a lesson, and then turned. He took hold of the King's Watch that had appeared behind him, held up by a servant. Muttering more of the Dead Language, he held it out to Alfred.

Alfred slowly took the chain in one hand and then laid the watch across his other palm. It was heavy, but that was to be expected from a solid gold watch. Then, the man before him turned to the other side and reached for Alfred's crown. Alfred's eyes nearly bugged out when he saw it.

The crown looked enormous. A blue velvet material was underneath a series of long, gold bands that jutted out and over to meet at the top where a single spade made of numerous blue diamonds glittered. At the base where seven spades, much like the ones on Yao's and Arthur's crown. Alfred didn't want it on his head. It looked far too heavy, in more than just a physical sense.

Nevertheless, the robbed man crowned him. Finally, he topped it off by placing a spade necklace around his neck, then Arthur's, and finally Yao's. The Queen handed Arthur the Queen's Clock and the Jack gave Yao the Jack's Sword.

From behind them, a man pounded a staff against the marble floor. That was the trio's cue to take their seats on the throne, still holding their jewels. The ensemble before them dipped low in a bow or a curtsey, except for the other Royal Families who simply bowed their heads.

Then, the man from behind said, "Announcing, his Highness, Yao Wang, Jack of Spades, his Majesty, Arthur Kirkland, Queen of Spades, and his Royal Majesty, Alfred Jones, King of Spades! Long live Spades! All hail the new Royal Family!"

* * *

><p><em>Hoshiko2<em>'s cents: And thus we have royalty! I actually wanted this to include the Ball that comes afterwards so that the other kingdoms could appear (because they are amusing), but this chapter got away from me. Alas, it will have to come next chapter. Don't worry, the other kingdoms will be important and they'll make their appearances again. ;3

Thanks so much for the love and attention last chapter. I hope you guys come back for more again next chapter too!


	3. Act 1 Part 3

"Whew! I think that went well!" Alfred declared. He carefully handed over the King's Watch to a servant holding the blue pillow from earlier that it had sat upon. Other servants came to remove the heavy coat on his shoulders, but the crown remained.

The trio had moved back up into the room they had stood in before going out into the ballroom. There, they would be striped of the jewels and other burdening attire. The crowns would remain as it was still a formal event and all events such as these required the Families to keep their crowns on. Outside, the guests were allowed a moment to rest and relax while the servants set up the tables for the finger foods and the court band prepared to play the classical music for the ball.

Yao smiled over at Alfred from the side. He straightened the crown on his head, somehow looking far more comfortable with it on his head than Alfred did. "Yes, you did very well."

Alfred sighed and rolled his shoulders. They were still tense and his back would probably seize up during the night from how tight he was, but it felt nice to get a moment to breathe. Especially since he would only have this moment and then he'd be forced to meet and greet the Royal Families of the other kingdoms. And then rub elbows with the politicians from Parliament.

His nerves controlled his mouth as he rambled out, "I'm just, now we have to mingle with the other kingdoms… I don't know how to handle large crowds. I mean, I've done competitions before, but…!"

"You'll be fine," Yao interjected with a hand up. He smiled, much like an older brother does to a younger sibling. Alfred felt relief from this. He needed a stern, but gentle hand to guide him, calm him. "We have practiced everything you are to do from what to say to how to dance. However, if you're worked up, you can ask Arthur for help. He is probably more versed in gala events like this. Perhaps he could be of help."

Alfred's face fell. "He might not help…"

Yao put a hand on Alfred's shoulder, that reassuring smile still there. "Alfred, he is now officially your Queen. He's meant to help you. Surely he understands this, given the importance of this event. Just ask. The worst he can do is say no."

"All right," Alfred replied with a nod. "I'll go get him. We need to get back out there soon anyways."

Somehow while Yao and Alfred had their jewels and coats removed, Arthur had slipped away. Alfred had tried to call to him, but he seemed to be in too much of a hurry to notice. His servants rushed after him, and returned carrying the Queen's Clock soon enough. He was probably just getting a moment alone.

Alfred went around the corner he had seen Arthur hide behind. He stopped when he found Arthur leaning against the wall. His breathing was labored, face pale, and his knees trembled slightly as if he were about to fall to the ground in a faint. He had seemed fine during the ceremony, but now it was as if he had grown sick within the past few minutes.

"Arthur! Are you okay?" Alfred exclaimed. He rushed to his side, grabbing Arthur by the elbows and pulling him to his chest to support him. He noticed then how small the man was, when normally he always gave off this impression that was much bigger than he really was.

"I seem to have swooned…," Arthur murmured.

"What? Why? What happened?" He tilted Arthur's chin up to look at him, growing worried at seeing his face so devoid of color. Even his eyes looked dull in comparison to how bright they always were.

"Yes, yes," Arthur said casually. He tried to stand, pulling away from Alfred. "I just… Perhaps I didn't get enough sleep."

"Do you want to sit down? Are you up to going out to see everyone?"

"I'm fine. I'll be all right."

By now, Arthur had managed to stand on his own. He took a few deep breathes and soon was able to look at Alfred confidently. There wasn't enough red to make his cheeks rosy, but his eyes shinned enough to make Alfred feel comfortable letting him go.

"Okay…" Alfred waited as Arthur took a few more breathes before asking, "Hey um… Can I ask you for some pointers? I've never done something like this before, and… I don't know if there are things maybe we didn't learn in those manners classes or some tips you know to keep calm."

Arthur then gave Alfred a real smile. One that seemed genuine and warm. His face, despite its pale complexion, exuded a contagious warm glow. It was almost one Alfred could say was affectionate. But that was silly. Arthur wasn't that kind of man towards him.

"You'll be fine," Arthur replied.

"Really? I mean, I get so nervous…" Alfred trailed off. He rubbed his left arm nervously and bit his lower lip.

Suddenly, Arthur put a hand on Alfred's right arm to stop his ministrations. Alfred looked up through his bangs to find that smile just a little closer. His lips twitched; a desire to smile too.

"Alfred, you are very charming and personable. You will be fine. People will take a shine to you in no time. I have faith in you."

Alfred lifted his head, eyes sparkling, and looked at Arthur. Really looked at him. He was wearing a blue tunic with a white ascot popping out from his collar. A few blue diamonds sparkled on the necklace resting on his chest just below the ascot. At his waist was a black belt with the Spades on the buckle. When the fur lined cape had been removed it had been replaced by a lighter cape that fell to his knees and draped over his shoulders slightly. His black pants matched the color scheme nicely, ending with his elegant boots with the Spades embroidery.

In comparison, Alfred wore a much fuller cape that just skirted the floor, and what he would call a more robust tunic. The royal dressers actually expected him to move about with puffy sleeves and heavy jewelry hanging from around his neck, weighing down his shoulders even more than they already were. And then there was the fact he had to wear knickerbockers, a fashion trend he didn't quite understand. But what did he know? He grew up far away from this glittering and fabulous lifestyle that Arthur was quite accustomed to.

Alfred didn't feel very strong or imposing or like that of a king in any sense of the word. Arthur, looking so much more comfortable in his royal attire and crown, was more of a royal figure than Alfred felt. Just everything from the way he carried himself to how he stared at another screamed of a noble and well-bred man. Alfred still looked like a hick, disguised under all of this glam.

Arthur didn't catch on to Alfred's internal distress and motioned to the corner they had to go around to join Yao, still waiting for them. "Shall we?"

"Ye-yeah."

The Royal Family of Spades was expected to stand before their thrones where they were to greet the other Families from the kingdoms one by one. Once the introductions were complete, they would then move to the floor for the First Dance, and proceed to mingle with the other guests. That was the plan, anyways. Alfred could have cared less. He was eyeing that buffet table eagerly. While he had eaten earlier that day, the entire Coronation Ceremony had caused his stomach to digest much faster than normal, leaving him much more ravenous than before.

At the top of the stairs was a man dressed in velvet purple to match his rather large hat. He carried a long staff that he used to tap on the ground to announce the Family members as they approached.

_Tap. Tap. Tap._

"Announcing the Kingdom of Diamonds! His Highness, the Jack of Diamonds, Vash Zwingli."

A stern looking man with shoulder length blonde hair walked up the stairs, stopping just short of Yao. He nodded politely to everyone, putting his hands behind his back in a manner that reminded Alfred this Vash was more like a military man than a Jack. His attire was yellow and sparkled brightly in the light. Most likely there were pure diamonds on his clothes, possibly sewn into his elegant collar and sleeves.

"Her Majesty, the Queen of Diamonds, Lily Zwingli."

A beautifully dainty girl with almost the same haircut as Vash slowly made her way to the top of the stairs. She wore a rather big and puffy dress that she had to hold up off of the ground in order to walk. Diamonds of the most beautiful yellow hue adorned almost every inch of her crown to match the ones embroidered in her dress. She stopped before Arthur and curtseyed. Alfred remembered from his classes that Vash and Lily were siblings. Lily had become the Queen when Vash abdicated the position, and the King had agreed to allowing the siblings to switch their positions.

"And his Royal Majesty, the King of Diamonds, Francis Bonnefoy."

Francis was covered in diamonds of gold. His shoulder length blonde locks glistened in the lights from the chandeliers. He had Alfred mesmerized by what a king should look like. He carried himself in a fluid and poised manner, looking over everything as if he owned it. He looked cool and collected, standing stark opposite of the nervous Alfred. He also wasn't weighed down by obnoxious puffy sleeves, though his pants did look rather uncomfortable.

Of the first kings Alfred had to meet, he wished it hadn't been Francis. This man, this king, seemed far better suited to rule than the young and inexperienced Alfred. Maybe Arthur was wrong. He couldn't handle this. Francis nodded as he stood beside his Queen and Jack. Alfred returned the nod, keeping his legs from wobbling too much.

Francis looked at Arthur and smiled. "My, you are a particular one."

Arthur raised his eyebrows, a dusting of flush on his cheeks. "Excuse me?"

Francis took Arthur's hand and kissed the top of it. "The Queen of Spades may be the most gifted with magic in Hoyle, but they say that the Queen is always the most beautiful, be they male or female. You are no exception."

Arthur snatched his hand away, fluttering in embarrassment. Alfred flared up in anger, suddenly wanting to push Francis away. But why? Arthur meant nothing to him. They were hardly even friends. Somehow seeing another man touch Arthur created a protective and jealous fire that ignited in the pit of his stomach.

Without thinking he took Francis' hand. The king looked at him, surprised. Alfred quickly thought up an explanation for his abrupt movement. "It's a pleasure to meet you, your Royal Highness. I am Alfred Jones. I-I hope our kingdoms can work well together."

Francis smiled pleasantly. He kissed Alfred's fingers where the ornate rings glittered blue. "The pleasure is all mine, your Royal Highness. Your Family is indeed blessed with beauty. Even your Jack is a lovely lady."

Yao bristled beside Alfred. "I am a man!"

"Oh! Forgive me!" Francis frowned and reached for Yao's hand, but the Jack slid them into his sleeves. "You are a surprisingly effeminate young man."

"I assure you I am not young..."

Francis frowned again and struggled to cover the hole he was making bigger by his foolish remarks, when the Queen stopped him with a hand on his arm. "Your Highness, I believe our time with the Royals is almost at an end."

The King looked a little flustered, but composed himself with grace and style. He bowed politely and took Queen Lily's hand, leading her back down the stairs. The Jack spared them another short nod of his head, and then followed the others.

Alfred let out a whoosh of air in relief. He glanced at Yao to see he was a little upset at Francis' incorrect judgment of his gender. Arthur, on the other hand, showed no emotion as to how he felt about having the King of Diamonds blatantly flirt with him. Then, the next kingdom was announced.

"Announcing the Kingdom of Hearts! His Highness, the Jack of Hearts, Feliciano Vargas!"

A hazelnut haired petite man came bounding up the staircase. He carried with him a flag with the symbols of the Kingdom of Hearts emblemized on the pink material. His attire was much more toned down. There were no diamonds or jewels to be seen, but the color made up for whatever pizzazz was missing compared to the previous kingdom. Feliciano gave a swift bow and stood to the side as an Asian man made his way up the staircase behind him.

"His Majesty, the Queen of Hearts, Kiku Honda!"

Kiku was wearing what Alfred first thought was a dress. It was long and in a pastel maroon color with hearts on the long sleeves. Remembering that it was an Asian county that Kiku hailed from, he dismissed the idea that the man was actually in a dress. When he first saw Yao's outfit, he thought Yao was wearing a skirt, when it most certainly wasn't.

The Queen had kind eyes and smiled warmly at Alfred, moving aside for the King to appear. So far, the Hearts Kingdom had been rather kind and looked to be amiable, reliving Alfred from worry. But as the King was announced and stepped forward, all of the stress returned.

Ludwig Beilschmidt was a formidable looking man. He strode up the stairs with his red cape trailing behind him and a long scepter with a ruby red gem at the top. His face, stern like that of one etched from rock, sat squarely on his broad shoulders matching his entire strong build. Ludwig was only slightly taller than Alfred, but seemed to tower over him as he stopped to give a rigid bow.

"H-Hello," Alfred started. He mentally winced as is his inability to keep his voice strong and firm. "It's a pleasure to meet you, your Royal Highness. I am Alfred Jones. I hope our kingdoms can work well together."

Ludwig narrowed his piercing blue eyes. His deep voice sounded as if it had been in a war or two. "Yes, well if you're even half of what the last King was, then I doubt we will."

Alfred tensed at those icy words. Ludwig knew he had struck a chord, and smiled smugly. He sized Alfred up and down, displeased with what he saw.

"I don't think you're close to the last King."

Arthur glanced at Alfred, slightly worried for how he would handle Ludwig's harsh claims. Alfred himself didn't know what to say. He had never been talked to in such a way where he actually felt threatened if he opened his mouth to retaliate. If he was rude, it could spark a fresh war. That was never a good idea, especially so early on in his reign. But if he didn't speak up for himself he might come off as weak, allowing the Hearts an opportunity to strike if they felt it would be beneficial to them.

Luckily, the Jack of Hearts stepped forward. He was bold to be speaking before the King. "But this is a new beginning! It could bring about a whole new dealing with the Spades. A new hope!"

Alfred smiled, grateful for the Jack's encouraging words. He took a liking to him instantly. "Yes, I agree."

Arthur and Yao nodded beside Alfred, as did Kiku beside Ludwig, but the King of Hearts remained unconvinced. He shot a look towards Feliciano that seemed to fly right over the shorter man's head. He then returned his attention to Alfred, expecting him to speak again.

Once more, someone came in and saved Alfred. "I hope you enjoy the ball," Arthur coughed, obviously displeased with the Hearts.

The Hearts Family nodded and moved away for the final kingdom to approach. Alfred looked at Yao for some help with the next family, but Yao only frowned back.

"The Hearts and Spades have not been on good terms for the past twenty years," Yao hissed. "How could you not have known?"

"I…I just f-forgot…," Alfred mumbled. "I mean, I know the Clubs are…"

But he trailed off as the Clubs Kingdom approached. First was the Jack of Clubs, Roderich Edelstein. He exuded an air of sophistication that rivaled Arthur's. The way he walked was delicate, but confident. He stopped before the Spades Family and gave a swift and flourished bow. Alfred thought he could like the man well enough.

Then came the Queen of Clubs, Elizaveta Edelstein, Roderich's wife. She was a beauty of a woman with long flowing brunette hair and fierce green eyes that warmed when she smiled and curtseyed to the Family. Her long green and black dress looked far more elegant than any attire Alfred had ever seen any other woman wear. He blushed slightly, unused to dealing with beautiful women.

His eyes kept to her until he landed on a wall of a man. Not in the sense that Ludwig had been, but more of an intimidating force that had Alfred wanting to take a step back. Ivan Braginsky, King of Clubs, had a chilly smile and icy purple eyes that stared down at Alfred and his Family. He didn't bow, nor did he even nod his head as was polite. Instead he stood with his green robes and green staff looking at Alfred as if he were some child rather than a neighboring king.

Alfred kept his wits about him by matching Ivan's stare. Forcibly, he greeted the King. "Hello. I hope our kingdoms can work well together."

"They never have," Ivan said pleasantly, as if he were talking about the weather. If he had been, Alfred felt that Ivan would've been saying it as if the snow had fallen upon his head on the way over to the castle, rather than greeting Alfred for the first time.

"Well, it's a new start," Alfred tried, thinking back on the Jack of Hearts optimistic words.

Ivan paused, and then smiled more. However, unlike his Queen's and Jack's smiles, it held no welcome warmth. "You are young."

"Thank you," Alfred replied happily.

Ivan chuckled, shaking his head. "That wasn't a compliment. You are naïve. I worry about your weakness. I hope you are not _too_ vulnerable."

"Ivan…," Queen Elizaveta warned from his side.

"I am only giving advice." However, Ivan let up and stepped back a little ways. His smile also lessened, but he never broke eye contact with Alfred.

"And I will take it to heart," Alfred replied sternly.

"I am eager to see the outcome of your reign, your Royal Highness."

"As am I."

The two then looked away simultaneously. The Family around them all breathed a sigh of release as the palpable cold tension finally evaporated into the air. Alfred watched as they left, and then caught Arthur's scowl.

"What?" he asked. "What did I do wrong this time?"

"The Clubs and Spades have never been on good terms," Arthur hissed. "How could you have glared at the King?"

"Never been on good terms, yes, but we've never been to war with them. There's only been the threat." Alfred glanced at the back of King Ivan and frowned. "But… I don't want to go to war."

"Then you will have to make the right decisions to steer it away from that direction," Yao commented from behind Alfred. Alfred turned and smiled at him. "I believe you will make smart choices."

"I'll do my best," Alfred said cheerfully.

Musical instruments began to play and the crowd moved to the edges of the room to form a circle in the middle of the ballroom. Alfred looked up, watching everyone, and forgot where he was supposed to be. He noticed the Queens and Kings from the other kingdoms were moving towards the open area, the King holding the Queen's hand as he led the Queen out.

From beside him, Arthur cleared his throat. Alfred looked over, surprised. "I believe it is time for the First Dance?"

Strangely enough, Alfred caught Arthur blushing. He held out his hand, waiting for Alfred to take it, and staring at Alfred's shoulder rather than in his eyes. Alfred found himself a little hot on the face as well, but took Arthur's hand and led him down the steps. Yao was to wait and watch from the throne as the Kings and Queens danced together.

All week long, the Family had been given dance lessons, but Yao and Arthur already knew all of the steps. Alfred, however, was a wreck. He only knew folk dances from the America County, not slow waltzes from the noble classes. Nevertheless, he worked to appear effortlessly good at dancing. That meant little now that he was in front of other royalty and other Numbers, all of them watching him and judging how effective of a leader he could be.

Alfred craned his neck around to watch as the Queen of Diamonds and Queen of Clubs delicately put one hand upon their respective King's shoulder, and the other on their dress to hold it up slightly. He gulped loudly at seeing the Kings wrap a hand around the Queen's waist, and then hold the hand that was holding the Queen's dress. He would have to do that with Arthur, a man he had not gotten along well with and knew very little about. A man he was actually sort of intimidated to be around. He would have to hold his hip and dance with him.

Arthur cleared his throat again, obviously annoyed with Alfred's hesitation. "Come along, Alfred. We are to dance. It's just once."

"I-I know." Alfred moved to the correct position, and found he harmonized well with him. Arthur seemed a little stunned at this fact, but his surprise was soon erased as he began leading. "Hey, I'm to lead, remember?"

"Then do it," Arthur spat.

And so Alfred did. Or tried. He was too preoccupied with watching the other Families dance that he continued to step on his toes. Arthur winced, doing his best to not vocalize his pain lest he embarrass Spades, but after a time he had had enough.

"Alfred," Arthur started with a strained temper. "Please, pay attention to _me_."

"Sorry!" Alfred snapped back to attention and even smiled a little. "I just… They're all dancing so much better than us."

"Well, that might be because they are relaxed. You are far too tense. Please try to calm down."

Instead, Alfred looked to his feet. Arthur sighed, his patience exhausted from the long run it had stretched across.

"Not your feet. Me! Look at me!"

Alfred looked up, but frowned in worry. "Sorry, but if I don't look at your feet, I'll step on you."

"Stop making excuses!"

Alfred and Arthur hushed when they heard some nearby Numbers giggling at them, whispering to each other. The other Families had taken notice of Alfred and Arthur's pitiful dance and the hushed bickering back and forth between the two. Lily and Francis in particular had found it amusing and tried to dance as close as possible to them in case they could hear what they were saying.

Lily looked at Francis, slightly upset. "They don't look good. Do you think they will be okay?"

"Of course," he replied smoothly. "But that is the amusing thing of the First Dance. It is always meant to be awkward."

"Ours wasn't," Lily said, thinking back to her first time years prior.

"Yes, but you and I are pure blooded royalties." Francis nodded at the Spades' couple dancing from afar. "The Spades do not work like the rest of us. They are regular Numbers chosen by some magic."

"Magic?"

"I'm not sure how. It's Spades magic, very difficult stuff that I hear dates back to the First Queen of Spades."

Alfred, not always one to eavesdrop, couldn't help but overhear Francis and Lily's conversation. He looked back at Arthur, confused. "So, we're the only kingdom that doesn't have an actual royal blood line?"

Arthur, who had also been listening, nodded to Alfred. "Not one King and Queen have ever married or conceived a child. Jacks and Kings or Jacks and Queens have been in relationships, but never married or been in beds together. It's an unwritten taboo. I'm not sure why."

"Lemme guess, it has to do with the First Queen." Alfred sighed and rolled his eyes. "Who is this girl? Why's she so important?"

"Aside from being the very first Queen, I'm not sure. We could ask Yao, but Queen Holly warned us not to look into her history."

Alfred frowned at this. "So what? We should do it anyways."

"Need I remind you we have some very important work to do," Arthur said. "Such as, oh I don't know, rule a kingdom."

"All right, all right. Sheesh. And you said _I _was tense." Alfred smirked at Arthur's flustered response.

The two hadn't noticed that the First Dance had ended. When they saw the other Families stop and bow to their partner, they broke apart and rigidly bowed to each other. Now the crowd was free to dance as well, but no one made a move to come onto the floor. No one that is, except for a retired Jack of Spades.

Jack William crossed the ballroom to where Queen Holly stood in her glittering purple dress. He bowed, and upon standing, offered the retired Queen a hand. "After all these years, may I finally have this dance?"

Now free from the public's eye and the restraint of royalty, William and Holly were able to be together. There was no more worry of an unwritten rule for a Queen to remain a virgin. And so with glee, Holly took William's hand and was led to the middle of the dance floor.

The Families had moved aside by now, and watched from the sides with the other Numbers. The orchestra continued to play a waltz, and the couple was left alone to dance their overdue time together. People gossiped on the side, but their words could no longer reach the retired Queen and Jack. As retired royalties the two were to move back to the counties they originated from. Amazingly, the entire previous royal Family was all born in the England County. The people could only wonder just what Holly and William had in plans once they moved back home, but seeing as their relationship hadn't exactly been a secret, it wouldn't be too much of a surprise if they finally married.

Once the waltz ended, the couple continued to dance, but the other Numbers started mingling and danced out onto the floor. Alfred slid through the throng of people, sighing in relief when he reached his throne. He sat with a loud huff, and looked over at Yao.

"What do we do now?" Alfred asked.

"You mingle." Yao nodded out at the crowd. "It is time to meet your people."

Alfred frowned. "These are not my people. My people are the ones not invited here."

"But these are the ones that hold power in the kingdom. You had better be on their good side if you are to persuade any of them to be in favor of you. If they're not, they're likely to disobey you and find loopholes around any laws we make."

Alfred sighed, agitated, but turned with a smile and headed back down to the main floor to meet his new citizens. He met with Twos and Threes, Fours and Fives, and even a few Sevens that had managed an invite. The Ones were the Numbers Alfred wanted to avoid, knowing full well they would only start talking about his father and all the great things he did before his untimely death. Alfred wasn't in the mood to deal with stories of old.

The Numbers he brushed elbows with were all high-end and well respected within the capital. Most, he later found out, were those of Parliament. Alfred prayed he made a good impression. Judging from the laughter, polite smiles, and nods of approval, he had done just that. However, he had to make sure from those who knew how to read the situation.

It took some sliding through groups, a few apologies, and many averted looks to avoid conversations, but Alfred eventually found Arthur. He was surrounded by many Twos and was holding a glass of wine. Alfred noted how very much Arthur seemed at ease in all of this. He was certainly raised to be the Queen of Spades.

"Arthur?" Alfred slid up beside him. He nodded at those that stopped their conversation and gave the King a bow. "May I talk with you?"

Arthur nodded, and then looked back at everyone else. "Pardon me."

The two stepped away for a moment. Alfred glanced about and lowered his voice. "Has anyone been saying anything bad about us?"

Arthur raised an eyebrow, suddenly growing suspicious. "No. Why would that? Have you done something that would merit gossip?"

"N-no," Alfred replied hastily. "I was just asking. You know how to work these people better than I do. I thought you had picked up on something."

"No. Everything is in order." Arthur sipped his wine. "It's about time for the fireworks."

"Oh yes!" Alfred exclaimed. He ducked his head at the few guests who looked over in surprise. Arthur stared at him in shock. "S-sorry. I really love fireworks. I used to watch them from my house."

"Yes, well, shall we gather Yao and then make our way to the balcony?"

It took less time to find Yao as he was easier to spot. He was one of the few Asian men in the party, and his attire was much more outlandish than the other guests. After a quick announcement from Alfred, the party made its way to the garden. The Royal Family, however, made their way to the balcony that overlooked the gates of the Palace.

There, the Numbers of the capital, and a few from out of town, had congregated to welcome the new Family. For many, this was the first time they had seen the Family. The trio waved politely, though they couldn't very well see the faces of the Numbers that cheered below. By now the sun had set and the stars had begun to twinkle in the sky.

Alfred paused in his waving to look up at them. He took a breath and finally felt at ease. It wasn't so hard being the King. Wear some really nice clothes, talk about pointless matters to high class Numbers, make sure he didn't have a bad face, and all was well. Maybe he really could do this.

The first scream of the firework shooting into the air brought about the shouts of joy from the citizens. Alfred snapped to attention in time to see the blue ball of light erupt in the air. He couldn't help but recall the last time he had seen this ceremony.

He had been at home with his mother and brother. They watched it on the hill where his father was buried. They had a picnic there from earlier in the day. Once a year, on the day of the Coronation, there was a celebration just like this in remembrance for when the current Royal Family became the monarchy. Alfred's first time he had seen the fireworks had been in his father's arms.

And while it had been years since he had last seen it with his father, he suddenly felt so much closer to him. The man had lived and walked in these halls. He had served the King dutifully. He had been an Ace. He had lived so that Alfred could be born, raised into the life of a One, and now was the King of the kingdom his father had loved.

Alfred vowed in his heart he wouldn't let his father or the citizens of Spades down.

* * *

><p><em>Hoshiko2<em>'s cents: A little shorter than last chapter, but I'm still in the stage of character development. Next chapter will begin to pick up and bring about more of the story. Thanks so much for all of the love from last chapter. Really, thank you. I hope everyone enjoyed this chapter as much as the last.


	4. Act 1 Part 4

The carriage ride from the Capital Spades to the Holland County was fairly quiet, but rather long. Spades sat in the middle of the kingdom with wonderful mountains to protect it, and only a river ran through the capital for trade. Otherwise, it was a journey not for the faint of heart. Or those impatient, such as Alfred.

No longer wearing just blue tunic tops, the Royal Family had been dressed in their normal attire of their royal garb. Alfred preferred this to his full King outfit, but still felt more dressed up than he'd ever been in his life. As such he now wore a long blue coat to match his dark blue jacket. His coat had little design to it, other than it had two Spades on each side hanging down at his waist, so that if the inner jacket didn't help keep him warm, he could pull his longer coat closed around him. Underneath his jacket he wore a plain white and brown stripped shirt with a brown tie to match his brown pants and shoes. He looked rather similar to Arthur, although Arthur still looked far more comfortable in his stuffy outfit than Alfred did. The small hat Arthur wore was kind of cute, though Alfred knew he'd be a fool to say so aloud.

Yao however, chose to keep his outfit rather similar in style to his royal clothes. He still wore long pleated pants that flowed more like a skirt than anything else and kept the long sleeves where he often slipped both arms inside the opposite sleeve across his chest. Alfred realized he would do this only when he was relaxed or enjoying a moment of when he and Arthur had a spat. There was always that little smile of his as if he knew something more than anyone else in the room.

Early the following morning of the gala event at the palace, the family had been whisked away to deal with the other Families as they were to stay in the capital for a week and discuss politics with the new Family. Alfred, horribly nervous from his almost disastrous first meetings with all of the Kings, heavily relied on Yao and Arthur's sage advice through-out all the meetings, and he was never without them.

He found he quite enjoyed talked with Francis, the King of Diamonds. He learned that the man wasn't giving Arthur any special attention, but that he was flirtatious by nature. Almost every meeting he would wink at a maid or charm a servant until his Jack snapped at him to pay attention.

While Alfred found talking politics to be quite boring, he enjoyed learning more about his neighbors. The Queen of Clubs, Elizaveta, and the Jack of Clubs, Roderich, had been married before they were crowned. They had an arranged marriage, but it was by sheer luck the two managed to fall in love. Even from across the room, Alfred could feel their adoration for the other. He envied them, but was happy all the same.

On the other hand, there was the awkward couple in the King of Hearts, Ludwig, and his Jack, Feliciano. Kiku mentioned offhandedly to Alfred during a stroll through the gardens that he had caught the two holding hands once and has seen Feliciano kissing Ludwig on the forehead. Kiku had to admit, he was surprised by this as the kingdom of Clubs was said to be the most religious kingdoms in Hoyle.

"It has something to do with our first Queen and her husband, Ludwig's ancestor, the first King," Kiku said when explaining his kingdom's history.

Alfred, surprised that the first Queen of their kingdom was just as important as theirs, was interested to learn more. Finding a strange ally in Kiku, he pressed for more information, but the Queen was evasive in too deep of questions concerning his kingdom's past. Perhaps he thought Alfred was asking for political reasons, rather than his own curiosity.

Nevertheless, he wandered to Francis, asking him the same kinds of questions. Diamonds was once a wealthy kingdom, hence their title, but fell on hard times after the first Queen passed away. Because of that, the citizens threw themselves into mercantilism as their only stronghold from poverty. The first Queen had been extremely elegant and beautiful, or so legend says. As such, the kingdom focused on fashion the most, and has started to flourish for their unique and beautiful styles, usually starting trends that would later spread to the other kingdoms.

Clubs, however, was a mystery. Alfred didn't feel any strong bonds with any of the Family members, especially not the King. Ivan was an enigma that sparked Alfred's attention, rather than scare him as he initially had been. He had heard of great and terrible things the man had done in his reign. He was the oldest king of the four current rulers, and while he hadn't gone to war with any of the kingdoms, he had managed to bring his kingdom into some rather nasty financial problems, practically bankrupting most of his Counties.

Yao commented that Ivan wasn't a smart ruler and had made many mistakes, but that he had done so when he was young and naïve. Now he relied more on his Jack to guide him. Arthur warned Alfred that while Spades and Clubs had never gone to war, there was always the threat. Clubs was always just one step behind Spades in terms of military, technology, and politics. Alfred took both Yao's and Arthur's words to watch the relationship between the two kingdoms.

Hearts, however, was another story. It was with this kingdom that his father had been killed. The story of his father's death was known in Hearts and Spades. In Hearts it was the defeat of the dreaded Killer Ace of Spades, while in Spades it was the loss of their beloved Ace. To Alfred, it was the murder of his father; the man whom Alfred based his life around.

A jolt in the carriage interrupted Alfred's train of thought, and he realized they were still in the mountains. They hadn't even cleared the pass. He groaned and turned to look at Arthur who sat across from him. Yao was beside Alfred, and it seemed he was trying to catch up on some well deserved sleep. The affair at the palace with the other kingdoms wore him out, mainly because of Alfred's insistent questioning about what he should and should not do and say.

There was another jolt and Alfred noticed Arthur putting a hand to his pale face. Arthur was always pale, but this morning he looked far worse than normal. It was like the time right after the Coronation and he found the man leaning heavily against a wall. It worried him to see Arthur become so ill suddenly.

"Are you okay?" Alfred asked, reaching over and putting a hand on Arthur's shoulder. It was a small carriage, and he could easily lean over and touch the opposite side with hardly a stretch.

Arthur held up his other hand, his eyes still closed. "Yes, yes. Quite fine. I didn't sleep well last night."

"That happens a lot," Yao said suddenly, obviously awake beside Alfred. "Is there something we should know about?"

"It's just stress," Arthur replied. He opened his eyes and dropped both of his hands. Alfred sat back, but didn't look satisfied. Upon seeing the same expression on Yao, Arthur sighed and tried to convince the two he was fine. "Really. I am fine. I am just as worried about the outcome of our future as you two are. I do not handle stress well, that is all. And my sleeping has been affected because of it. But as time goes by, I should get better."

Alfred knew Arthur was lying, but he didn't press on anymore. He looked out the window with a frustrated sigh. "Are we there yet?"

"Not yet," Yao replied. He closed his eyes again, hoping for sleep to come easier this time around.

Alfred hesitated, then asked, "How about now?"

Arthur waved his hand sharply out the window. "Does it look it?"

Alfred glanced, already knowing the answer when he saw trees and mountains, and certainly no civilization or ocean. He tried not to pout in disappointment. "No…"

"Then no. Stop asking." Arthur put a hand to his face again, closing his eyes once more.

"But I want to get there now!" Alfred whined.

Arthur groaned, ready to come back with something volatile, but Yao was quicker. "Patience is good for every King."

Alfred sighed in his frustrated tone again, but said nothing. He slumped in his seat, but Arthur and Yao were both ignoring him by now, so they wouldn't scold him for his poor manners. Alfred looked around the ornate purple carriage, admiring the plush interior, and then looked out the window again. The view was beautiful, but it bored Alfred easily. He was too excited to see the castle he was to live in for the rest of his life. Not only that, but see the ocean for the first time.

"Are we there yet?"

Arthur shot up in his seat, lurching forward and grabbing Alfred by the shoulders. His eyes shone darkly in anger. "Alfred! I don't care if you are the King, so help me I _will_ kill you! Can you just NOT be yourself for five minutes? For FIVE MINUTES?"

"Yeah, okay."

"Thank you!"

Arthur released Alfred and sat back in his seat. He closed his eyes with a sigh. Yao was merely smiling again. He never opened his eyes. Alfred kept to his word and remained quiet once more. However, as the one minute marker was approaching, he grew bored again. Five minutes felt like forever. He tapped his fingers on his knees and pressed his lips together.

Pressing his lips like that gave him an idea. He decided that making a noise wouldn't be him talking and he wouldn't really be himself, would he? It's just a noise. So he made a popping sound with his mouth. Arthur visibly cringed, but said nothing. Yao remained motionless. Judging by their lack of a verbal reaction, Alfred did it again.

Arthur yelled in anger, and then flung himself at Alfred. He grabbed at his neck and tried to choke him. Yao didn't interject, but he did open his eyes finally. Alfred was more than capable of handling himself. Since the Coronation, Alfred had found he had suddenly acquired the mystical super-human strength that the King of Spades is said to have. He found this out when walking out of his bedroom and the door was flung across the room, where it shattered into pieces.

Yao glanced out the window and declared, "We're here. Look."

Arthur released Alfred with a snarl, but looked out the window. Alfred leaned over Yao to get a better look, and sure enough, he saw the ocean. It glistened in the early afternoon sun, almost like a diamond. The diamonds of his crown. Alfred was elated, and swelled with even more excitement to rush from the carriage and dive into the crystal water.

In the distance, along the shoreline, was a pure white castle with blue roofs. Fittingly, it was painted in pearl white, already nicknamed the Pearl Castle. The castle itself had high and lofty towers that stretched as high as the Spades Palace, but towards the back it became long, following the shoreline perfectly. Alfred suspected that they even had their own private beach. He knew where he would be whenever he had some free time.

"Whoa…," Alfred whispered. "They built this for us…?"

"Not us specifically," Yao started. "Every pre-existing monarchy must build a new castle in preparation for the new Family when their reign is growing short."

"Wow. So this is the Count Holland?" He had only heard of the county's beauty, but never saw pictures or actually had the luxury of visiting it himself. His father had once gone to oversee the building of the Pearl Castle, and returned telling Alfred and Matthew stories of his journey. Alfred knew that in spring, the county would be filled with their famous tulips.

"Yes," Yao said. "The county of the sea. This is where your Ace is from, which is why the location was chosen."

Alfred nodded, reciting what he knew about his Number rank. "When the King dies, his Ace is to step down. The knight under him becomes the Ace of Spades, unless otherwise chosen by the King or Ace. His land is chosen out of respect for his bravery to the kingdom. Because my father was killed before the last King died, there was to be no Ace to replace him. This new Ace was the knight under my father."

"That explains why the last family resided in your county, the America County," Arthur said. "Because of your father."

Alfred nodded. "My father would live with us from time to time, but sometimes he was away for long periods of time. It depended on what the King asked of him."

Arthur caught a small glimmer of what looked to be remorse in Alfred's eye, but didn't get the chance to ask about it. Alfred had practically jumped out the window, knocking Yao in the face along the way.

"Hey look! Kids! Hi!" Alfred shouted. He began waving wildly at the children that had been playing in the fields, now standing on the side of the road.

They stared in awe, or sheer shock, at their new King, hanging almost completely out the window of his carriage. Yao held a hand to his wounded cheek, having received the full blow from Alfred's hand smacking him. Arthur yelled at Alfred, yanking him back inside. His hat was skewed to the side as he pushed Alfred back down into his seat.

"Would you please _act_ your status?" Arthur growled. "Honestly. What a sight! Those children could not have known who you were if you had not gone and… Oh for goodness sake's, Alfred. You acted as if you had never met a child before."

"But they're _Dutch_ children," he corrected. Then he noticed Yao beside him. "Hey, what happened? Did Arthur hit you in the face when he pulled me back in?"

Yao sighed; obviously not ready to join in Arthur's lecturing, he chose to look out at the growing numbers of citizens lining up along the road to see their new monarchy. Coming from a county where the fashion was very different from Holland, he was surprised to see the cute dresses the girls wore. They sported more sea styled colors and poofed out, unlike the dresses in his county.

Alfred looked out the other window, waving more regally, lest he get another scathing lecture from Arthur. The women waved back while giggling and some of the children ran alongside the carriage, hoping to touch Alfred's hand.

"Look at their cute dresses!" Alfred squirmed in his seat, far more excited than the others in the carriage with him. "And…are those wooden shoes?"

"They are called clogs," Yao informed him.

Alfred smirked over at Yao, nudging him in the side. "See? Already all of that wisdom is seeping in."

"If you say so."

The Family knew better, though, even Yao despite the fact he was unwilling to admit it. Like Alfred, his magical powers had come in effect, driving Yao to never feel sated in his sudden thirst for knowledge. While at the Spades Palace, he frequently holed himself up in the Grand Library in hopes of reading all the books before they could leave. News of the even larger Grand Library in the Pearl Castle surprised him, alarmingly so.

While Yao wouldn't say he detested reading, but the fact he had to all while growing up and then was forced into a position where he would read for a living made the appeal lose its shine. To suddenly have it return with a vehement force that drove Yao's every waking moment startled and scared the man, while at the same time caused him to want to read all the more.

After a time, the Family had reached the main city where the castle was situated. The Holland County was a decent sized county, but nothing in comparison to the larger counties that Alfred and Yao were from. The two were surprised by its small size, but found it to be nice considering they had moved from where they had lived all of their lives. If they had to pick a new county to live in, both internally agreed this was a beautiful choice.

As the carriage approached the castle, the gates rose and the people cheered. They waved flags of the Spades symbol, a few with the flag of Holland, and flung streamers and paper pieces that fluttered through the air. The carriage halted at the castle gates so that the Numbers could finally see their new rulers.

At the front stood a formidable man, much unlike Ludwig and Ivan. He was tall and proud, arms behind his back, and a stern stare that looked to be surveying the crowd rather than watch as the Royal Family emerged from their carriage. His blonde hair had been kept up in tall spikes, probably with the help of magic, indicating he came from a noble lineage if he was able to employ a fashion mage. His green eyes locked on Alfred, and he strode over to the Family.

He bowed deeply, and then spoke in heavily accented English. "Your Majesties. It is an honor to finally meet you. I am the Ace of Spades, Morgens Diederick."

"Morgens!" Alfred smiled and held out a hand. "I remember you!"

"As do I, your Royal Highness." Morgens didn't smile, but his eyes didn't lessen in their intensity ever so slightly. He took Alfred's hand in a formal shake and then replaced it behind his back.

"You know each other?" Arthur asked.

Alfred nodded, smiling all the more. "He was the knight directly underneath my father. I met him many times when I was younger."

"Your father was an honorable man. I was privileged enough to fight alongside him shortly before his death." Morgens spoke of Alfred's father all too casually. He even looked ready to smile, but that would be impossible.

Arthur glanced at Alfred, noticing that same glint in his eyes from earlier whenever his father was mentioned.

Morgens then nodded at the crowd watching behind them. "I believe you should turn and acknowledge your Numbers."

The Family did so, waving with smiles. The crowd erupted into cheers. Alfred was overcome, not sure what to say or do other than wave and smile as he had been instructed to do.

From behind them, Morgens' booming voice startled the trio. "I present their Royal Majesties, the Jack of Spades, Yao Wang; the Queen of Spades, Arthur Kirkland; and the King of Spades, Alfred Jones! LONG LIVE SPADES!"

"LONG LIVE SPADES!" the people chanted back. They continued to chant and cheer and celebrate outside while the Family was shown inside.

Fanfare music began to play as the Family finally made their way inside. The halls of the castles were elegant and luxurious, such was the welcome of the County of Holland. The flag of Spades hung down over the gates, so that whomever passed underneath it would "feel the strength and power of Spades", as Morgens described it. While the Spades Palace had been overwhelmingly blue, the Pearl Castle lived up to its name and sported much more white marbled walls. Few blues and purples were seen, only appearing on Spades décor that accented walls.

Once they had entered the Entry Hall, three people stood in a line with expectant smiles on their faces. Morgens stopped and addressed the trio before them.

"Your Majesties, I would like to introduce to you to your servants," he started.

"Wait!" Alfred interrupted. "We get servants?"

Arthur frowned at his outburst. "Yes, Alfred. We get our own personal servants."

Morgens cleared his throat. "If I may…"

He turned to the first person in line, an Asian man that was at least ten centimeters taller than Yao. He had black hair that curved around his face. It must have been unruly as one strand stuck out and twisted into a curl. When he stood upright after his swift bow, everyone could see his brown eyes were warm and friendly.

Yao knew Arthur and Alfred wouldn't know what county this man was from, by judging by the blue hanbok, he was from the Korean County, more specifically the Southern Province. It wasn't widely accepted that Korea was two provinces, but it was a well known historical fact of Spades history as the county had been at war with itself just two decades earlier.

"This is Yong Soo Im," Morgens introduced. "He is to be your servant, your Highness Jack Wang."

Yao was pleasantly surprised. While he had never interacted with a real Korean before, he knew enough of the two provinces' history well enough and would find he could probably find something in common with the man.

Morgens then gestured to the next man. He was much shorter, but also Asian. His thick eyebrows matched Arthur's, but his small stature seemed even smaller than the Queen's. He wore a blue duangua with purple trim and a golden sash over dark brown trousers. Again, Yao knew what county he was from. Luckily, so did Arthur.

"Ah, a man from the special county of Hong Kong," he commented. "A pleasure."

"This is your servant, your Royal Majesty, Queen Kirkland," Morgens said. "Long Jia Wang."

Alfred looked at Yao, surprised. "Are you two related?"

Yao furrowed his brow in confusion. "I don't…believe so."

"We are," Long said quickly. "We are distant cousins, but my family has never met with yours in many generations."

"What about _my_ servant?" Alfred asked enthusiastically. He wasn't interested in Yao's family history. He wanted to know about his servant, a servant, something he never thought he'd get in his life. Someone to wait on him hand and foot.

"Yes, your Royal Highness, your servant is Tolys Laurinaitis," Morgens said. The brunette man he addressed gave Alfred an elegant bow.

Tolys was shorter than Alfred. He had shoulder length brown hair and bright green eyes not unlike Arthur's. He wore a blue shirt that puffed up at the wrists, a purple open vest atop it, and brown pants that led down to brown boots. He also wore a golden belt around his waist.

"It is truly a pleasure to meet you, your Royal Highness," Tolys said with another bow.

"Well then," Morgens started. "Please show their Majesties to their rooms. They must be tired. After that we shall…"

But there was an announcement made at the gates of a new guest. Morgens frowned at hearing an interruption. Yao, however, turned with a most horrified look upon his face.

"Presenting Jian Wang, father to his Highness, Yao Wang!"

"What is the meaning of this?" Morgens asked angrily.

He was brushed aside by the same man Alfred had seen the first day he had met Yao, before they were formally introduced. Back then he seemed angry and more than displeased at his son's cooking, but now he was as jovial as Alfred had been upon reaching the kingdom.

"_De fùqīn_!" Yao exclaimed, taking a step back. He obviously was not as happy to see his father as he was to see Yao.

"Ah! My _érzi_! How I have missed you so!" Yao's father pulled Yao into a rough hug.

Yao looked repulsed by the hug, probably having never gotten one from his father before. Alfred watched the awkward scene, feeling sorry for his friend. Yao looked first to Alfred for help, and then to Arthur, hoping one of them would step forward and save him from this moment he didn't wish to have.

But Jiang stepped back, holding Yao out at arm's length. "Let me look at you! My _son_! The Jack of Spades! Oh, what a joyous day this is!"

"_De fùqīn_, it…is a surprise you are here," Yao said, choosing his words carefully. "What…brings you here?"

"Why, I am to run for a position in Parliament!" Jiang proclaimed happily.

Yao waited a moment before replying. His head whirled with anger and absolute denial that his father was trying to worm his way into Parliament. He would forcibly turn down any and all grounds for him to be voted in upon. He knew Alfred and Arthur would back him up, mainly because they were his allies.

While Yao had never told neither man about his home life, Alfred had seen it firsthand how displeased Yao's father had been at Yao's love of cooking. It was a real shame, especially since he was terrific at it and genuinely loved his passion. If he went off of that moment, he could honestly say he didn't like Yao's father. But he wanted to give the man the benefit of the doubt.

So with a smile, he greeted Yao's father. "Hello sir."

Jiang turned and bowed in a most humble and polite way to Alfred. "Oh, your Royal Highness! Please forgive me! It is a pleasure to meet you!"

"Meet me again, you mean," Alfred said. "We met before when you closed up your son's restaurant back on the day of Counting."

Jiang's face paled and he looked just as horrified as Yao had been when he had entered the room. "O-oh! F-forgive me your Royal Highness! I did not know!"

Alfred chuckled. "It's fine. I wasn't Counted yet, so I was still a One."

Morgens reentered the conversation. "Excuse me, but we have a tight schedule to keep. Please Your Majesties, your servants will show you the way to your chambers. After that, we shall reconvene in the Meeting Room."

Jiang put an arm around Yao and pulled him along after Yong. He offensively commented on Yong's ethnicity, and Yao looked back at Alfred and Arthur once more for some hope in their help. Arthur, quiet all along, was the first to speak up.

"Um, sir Wang," Arthur called. Jiang stopped and turned, bowing again to Arthur and finally addressing him. "Sir, it is quite inappropriate for anyone to enter a Royal Family's chambers. Even family, I'm afraid."

At Jiang's frown, Alfred took over. "Y-yes! Arthur is right. If you'd like, you may tour with a servant around the castle, but as we are busy with…Royal dealings, I'm afraid you'll have to wait until dinner to meet with your son."

Jiang's smile vanished temporarily. He studied Alfred, possibly seizing him up as the other Kings had done, but Alfred felt no fear. He took Jiang to be most unlike his son and more like a rat. After facing three Kings a week prior, not to mention Arthur's constant unimpressed and disapproving glare, this man wasn't a threat.

Finally, Jiang looked convinced. He bowed once more. "As you wish, your Royal Highness."

Yao's shoulders dropped considerably at seeing his father leave. He smiled at Alfred and Arthur, and mouthed "Thank you", finally turning back to Yong and leaving with him to his chambers.

Alfred smiled at Arthur, and then turned to leave with his servant. "See you later. Rest up."

"Ah, yes, of course."

For what felt like the first time in a month, the two parted ways, when really, it had just been a week. And in actuality, the Family had gone separate ways when they went to sleep, but given how busy they had been with the other Royalties, it didn't feel as if they had ever been given any private time. Strangely enough, both Arthur and Alfred hesitated in leaving each other.

And for the briefest of moments, Arthur faltered as a sudden bright light caught him in the eye, and a ghost of someone else reached out for him. But it was Alfred and he had caught him by the elbow, worry evident on his face.

"Are you okay?" he asked with concern laced in his tone. "You almost fainted."

"I…I'm sorry…," Arthur whispered, wearily.

Alfred frowned and pulled Arthur to stand, holding him by his arms in case he started to feel faint. "You need to get some sleep. Skip dinner if you have to, but sleep. You look terrible."

Arthur dismissed his insult and simply worked up the rest of his strength to stand upright without Alfred's help. His servant was by his side and offered his help to take Arthur to his room.

"Keep me updated, okay?" Alfred asked of Long.

Long nodded and helped Arthur walk down the hallway towards the stairs that would lead to the bedchambers. After a few minutes, Alfred turned to Tolys.

"All right, I'm ready to see my room. Show me the way!"

Tolys nodded with a smile and gestured to another staircase. It was an elegant white marble just like the walls and wound upwards with a blue railing up along the way. Alfred's bedchambers were all the way at the top of the staircase, and the men, unused to the hike up, were out of breathe by the time they reached the room.

The large wooden doors that led into Alfred's chamber were rosewood oak. There was an intricate hand carved design in the oak that told the tale of the previous Kings, all surrounding a giant Spade design that stood atop a shinning hill. Beside the door stood two knights that saluted Alfred, and then opened the doors for him.

Alfred stepped inside with his mouth open wide and his eyes bugging out in shock. "Is this…my bedroom?"

Tolys chuckled. "No your Royal Highness. This is your antechamber. The room before your actual bedroom."

Alfred flushed in embarrassment. He had a small antechamber when back at the Palace, but it wasn't quite as exquisite as this room. Despite the rest of the castle, this Alfred's antechamber was washed in bold reds and blues. Not a purple in sight. Draperies covered the walls to give a much softer feel to the room. A lush blue floor rug lied near the massive fireplace in the shape of a lion's open mouth. Before it sat a plush red couch.

Turning sharply, Alfred asked quickly, "So much red and blue? Why?"

Tolys' smile grew even wider. He was taking quite a liking to his energetic King. "The bedchambers of the Royalties is never finished until the Counting has been done. The moment it is announced of the new Family, the workers finish the chambers to fit the colors and mood of the Royalty's native county. For you, this has the red and blue with a little bit of white for the America county you are from."

Alfred's heart surged in warmth. He rushed to see his bedroom and was more elated at seeing the tall open windows that overlooked the sea. He ran out to the balcony and pressed his body over the railing, inhaling the smell of the sea until he felt his lungs might burst.

Again he turned sharply to Tolys, and exclaimed, "THIS HAS A VIEW OF THE OCEAN!"

"Yes it does, Sire."

"Ah, no need to call me that. Just Alfred is fine," Alfred said, patting Tolys on the shoulder as he passed him by. He reentered his bedroom and flopped on his massive bed of reds, blues, and whites.

"If you wish, Sir- Alfred." Tolys was silent a moment before quietly asking, "Are you…a half Number, Sire?"

Alfred paused his rubbing of his face in the comforter to sit up and look over at Tolys. The small man didn't meet Alfred's eye and seemed very wary of Alfred's reaction. Alfred wondered if his servant would react like Arthur had, and worried he would become racist too. Well, there was only one way to find out.

"Yes. I'm a half-One and a half-Ten," Alfred replied. He shifted all the way off of his bed and stood before Tolys, waiting to hear whatever insults or comments he would say. "However, if it bothers you, I am a One on records."

Tolys shook his head quickly, eyes wide in surprise. "No! Not at all! I am not bothered. I am relieved, actually."

Alfred quirked an eyebrow and frowned, unsure if Tolys was being sarcastic or if he truly meant it. "Uh…what?"

"You see, I had heard rumors that our new King was a half-Number and that he was more likely to be accepting of Numbers that had changed their identity or were even part of the more rebellious part of Countings."

Now really confused, Alfred furrowed his brow and took a slight step back. It was true, he was more accepting of other Numbers, but he didn't know if he would consider himself part of the Rebellious Countings Party, or the RCP. He considered that to be far too liberal for his taste, and being known as a liberal King wasn't the best way to start a reign, or so Yao and Arthur had warned him.

"Why…does this concern you?" Alfred asked wisely. He didn't want to confirm or deny his true feelings on Countings, lest he start more rumors.

"Well…I…" And suddenly, Tolys was nervous and squirmed in his spot as if Alfred were interrogating him rather than asking him a simple question. "You see…I… I am not like Jiang and Yong. I am… Well… YM family has never served the Spades Family before…"

"So?"

"Well… I was inspired by your father's actions in the war against Hearts to…to leave…my suit."

Alfred's jaw dropped. He had heard in passing of Numbers that dared to journey into the difficult waters of changing suits. It could take years, possibly any entire lifetime to have all of the papers and blessings from appropriate Numbers for someone to change their suit. Tolys looked relatively young, so he must be a high standing Number to have bribed the courts, or possibly even sidestepped certain roads to change his suit.

"What…suit were you?" Alfred asked, still trying to swallow the idea that a person, his own servant, no less, could actually chance the impossible.

"Clubs, Sire. When your father was killed, I made it my mission to join the Spades military so that I may serve the King. When I heard you had become the King, I requested that I change my position to be your servant, instead." Now Tolys was smiling, but only ever so slightly. "I wanted to make sure I could honor your father by being by his son's side at all times."

Alfred was touched, if not a little amazed that his father had inspired someone that didn't even live in the same kingdom as him. He knew his father had been incredible, legendary in fact, but to spread his influence to the far reaches of Hoyle. Alfred clapped a hand on Tolys' shoulder, smiling broadly, and proclaimed their friendship to last forever.

* * *

><p>Weeks passed and the Family found themselves thrown into more work than they had been in when they lived in the Palace. There was the matter of calling to order the entirety of Parliament. The Lords that gathered were all men the previous King had assigned to be overseers of their particular counties, which they would then represent in Parliament. Many of the Lords came from noble lineage, a few newcomers were high Numbers, but most, if not all of the Lords were Twos or Fours. Ones were the only Numbers ever forbidden to enter into politics.<p>

Alfred met with the Lords one by one, having a difficult time to remember all of the names. Tolys reassured him that his constant dealings with the Lords would make it easier as time passed by. He would remember faces and names eventually.

Yao, on the other hand, was finding the change into royal life to be more difficult than he thought. This was mainly caused by the constant pestering of his greedy father who constantly rubbed elbows with the Lords in hopes of having his name passed around. And as always, he would name drop Yao's name to gain more importance.

"I _am_ the father of the Jack of Spades, the wisest man in all of Hoyle."

And wise he had become, much to Yao's chagrin. If he thought his appetite for wisdom hadn't been sated back in the Capital, then he was sorely mistaken upon entering the Grand Library. Alfred commented upon seeing it the first time that it should be called the Super Gigantic Library of Parts 1 and 2. In truth, it was the largest library either man had ever seen before, and it was technically cut into two parts, the first being on one side of a hallway, the second on the other side.

The second part of the library was where Yao could be found the most. It was filled with old scrolls from ancient times. The previous Jack had requested them at his old castle, but never got around to receiving all of them and deciphering their old language before he lost his title. Luckily with the help of all the previous Jacks, Yao found reading the scrolls was much easier and he was far more efficient in his time.

If only his father didn't constantly drag him from the library to push him into more Lord's faces and have him lie about how wonderful his father had been in his childhood.

Arthur was absent practically the entire day. He locked himself away in the Queen's Magic Room, a special room near the dungeons that was fitted for the Queen to practice magic and make spells without the disturbance of anything above. He was also to assign the next wizard or with that was to be either his Lady or Lord who would remain at his side and he would personally train. They, in turn, would train the following Queen.

Arthur already knew Queen Holly's Lady, and had managed to be on her good side during the first few days of his training. However, it became apparent that Arthur was having a more difficult time with his new found stronger magic than he anticipated. Many times Alfred would find the castle shaking from a sudden explosion from down below, and only moments later would an enraged Arthur appear, more than likely covered in soot or bright colors from a spell gone amiss.

Tolys was patient and kind and tended to back off when Alfred needed a moment's rest, but his privacy time was fading into almost non-existent. Tolys assured Alfred that this would lessen as time went on and things came to order. It was only the first few months that the Family would have to endure the most work of their reign.

Nevertheless, it wasn't long until Alfred was ducking out of meetings and avoiding his servant to find a place to hide and be at peace for a minute. It was practically impossible to make a break for the ocean as there were knights all along the wall. If they saw the King without a servant or one guard, they would raise question and call for men to follow him.

One day, Alfred was in more of a rush to escape than normal. He stumbled down a flight of stairs and found himself in a particularly hot room. It was used as the boiler room where the servants would come to fill the Family's hot baths at night and in the mornings. However, off to the side was another door, practically hidden behind the steam powered boiler.

Alfred slipped inside without knocking, thinking that it was just a closet of some kind. He didn't expect to find a person in the other room, much less two.

A man dropped a wrench he was holding in his hand and stared at Alfred in shock. "OH! Your Royal Highness!"

He had light blonde hair that looked almost white, and his almost violet eyes strongly reminded Alfred of his own brother's. He was short, almost the same height as Arthur, but had a much more pleasant smile after he straightened up from his abrupt bow. There was another man beside him that towered above both the blonde and Alfred. He had blonde hair too, but his eyes were a more blue-green. In the dark light, Alfred couldn't be sure.

Alfred wasn't as surprised to see the men, but more intrigued at their attire. He had never seen the two men around the castle before. They wore short sleeved black tunics with blue suspender pants, dirty from the soot accumulating in the room from the boiler room. The shorter man wore what looked like a leather helmet with large glasses that sat atop it, something of which Alfred had never seen before. The taller man was holding wood and iron in both hands with little trouble. How was he not a knight?

"Oh, no, it's okay. I'm hiding from my servants," Alfred said. He stepped closer to what the small man was standing beside. "What…is this?"

"Well, if we ever finish and if we are ever given the okay to do, it might be the first flying machine."

"M' call i' aero plane," the tall man mumbled in chopped English. It didn't seem he felt confident in his English ability, but what would he have to be nervous about? Even Alfred was fearful of being too close to him.

"An aero plane?" Alfred repeated. He lightly touched the side of the machine carefully, enjoying the chills that shivered down his back. "You mean… this can actually fly?"

"Well, we're hoping it can, Sire," the small blonde replied. "Sadly, we have never been given any funding for our inventions, and most of this has to come from our pockets. Progress has been slow."

Alfred turned, head tilted to the side. "But you are a government created section, yes?"

The blonde nodded. "Yes. The previous Queen instated us at the insistence of the King and Jack. We are here only to make inventions and progress the kingdom in terms of technology. However, that's almost impossible. Parliament has always thwarted our efforts to do anything, and we can hardly ever get anything done down here in this dank cellar."

Suddenly the blonde blushed, looking appalled at his words. He bowed deeply, keeping his head down as he quickly rushed out an apology.

"Forgive me, Sire! That was awfully bold! And we have just met! We haven't even introduced ourselves! I am Timo Väinämöinen and this is Berwald Oxenstierna! Forgive us, your Royal Highness!"

Alfred's hands shot up just as fast. "Whoa, whoa. Calm down. I'm not going to throw you in jail or anything just because you didn't tell me your names. And I agree with you, this is a dank cellar and I would hate for you guys to stay down here so long. I will push for a movement to grant you more money from Parliament. We'll be meeting once the Lords from the furthest counties arrive."

Timo sighed sadly. "That is most kind, Sire, but I'm afraid it's impossible."

"Why?"

"M'st o' the L'rds 're F'urs," Berwald muttered.

"Fours? What does that have to do with anything?" Alfred asked.

Timo crossed his arms and shook his head. "If I may be bold again, Sire… The Fours of Parliament have always been greedy. They are bankers. Most of them lie about the taxes they had on the counties they oversee and horde the money for themselves. If you hire someone to check the treasury, you will find most of the money is missing. It has been going on for years, and the previous Family knew, and never did anything to stop it."

Alfred looked troubled. He hated liars, and if his Parliament truly was that corrupt, then he would have to take drastic measures. While Arthur and Yao had advised him not to be too liberal or come out too strongly so early in his reign, Alfred had to do something about the corruption. He would not tolerate it.

If there was one thing he did when he was young, was lie down when bullies pestered him. He had no legal standing to fight back or to pursue any actions against them. He was just a lousy half, no matter what his official Counting stated. If he appeared before a court and filed a lawsuit against bulling or theft or anything, he would be laughed out of the court.

But now. Now. Now Alfred had power. He had absolute power. He could press charges, write laws, hell declare war if he wanted to. Sure it would require Arthur and Yao's help, but he felt he could rely on them. They were friends, if not family, as their title suggested.

And even if he had to work against them, he would do so. He had lived with everyone pushing against him, now was the time to fight back.

* * *

><p><em>Hoshiko2<em>'s cents: So this is the chapter to kick-off what is to come: the storm is coming. And Alfred is the King of this storm. Dropped more hints and such, but it won't be explained until much later. Also, the scene in the carriage was inspired by a scene from Shrek 2. Lol. The names are slightly different from what most people write them as, but that's because I went on Hetalia's wikia (the shoutboard one) and read all the information pertaining to names and decided to go with ones I felt were better or more correct. Lithy's outfit is his traditional outfit that Hidekaz drew a few years back too.

Now, an important note to address. Many of you seem to come off as not knowing that this universe of royalty in Hetalia already _exists_ and is officially made by the creator, Hidekaz Himaruya. It is known as the cardverse and came in the special package with the Arte Stella art book. Therefore, I'm sorry to those of you who requested that I place certain characters as certain Royalty. As you can now see, I have always been unable to do so.

Finally, a much deserved pimp out of my friend Jordan's work. I have recently moved and gotten a full time job, and the change to work 8 hours has taken a bit of a toll on me. She drew me these (http:/ /img. photobucket. com/ albums/v735/hoshiko2/For% 20tumblr /Hoyle1 .png , http:/ / img. photobucket. com/albums/v735/hoshiko2/For% 20tumblr /Hoyle2 .png ,http:/ / img. photobucket. com/albums/v735/hoshiko2/For% 20tumblr /Hoyle3 .png ) (please erase the spaces) lovely pictures to help me stay inspired and motivated to do my fanfics. Send her love and such! And, of course, there is more fanart from more lovelies on my profile.

See you next time!


	5. Act 1 Part 5

The Grand Library didn't intimidate Alfred, though it did change his route when he took his morning walks around the castle. It was too grand and too much like a library, and reading and the like never held his attention for long. He was raised a soldier, so his mind had always been wired that way. That wasn't to say he was illiterate. Most Ones that were on the path to become a Knight _were_ illiterate, but his mother was firmly against her son not being able to read anything past a few basic words and his own name. So she taught both of her sons to read, another rare occurrence as Tens were forbidden to read and write in some counties. Alfred appreciated his luck of being born in America.

Nevertheless, Alfred had to step inside the massive room if he were to find Yao. It was only a day after his revelation from the two Numbers downstairs, and Alfred knew he needed help to uncover all of the fraud going on under his nose. Briefly he wondered how much Arthur knew, seeing as he came from a high ranked family, but he wanted to get his mind straight before confronting him. There was nothing worse than showing up for battle with the least bit of armor on, his father had taught him. Always come prepared, even with more, you can always not use it and throw it away later, or keep it on reserve to bring out another day.

With his father's words in his heart, his confidence pushed him forward, and into the small town of books he went. The shelves towered at twenty feet, just brushing the high-vaulted ceilings, and needed ladders to scale the long rows. The ends of the rows were golden, while the shelves themselves were that same rosewood as Alfred's bedroom door. The floor was a soft red marble where the light from the long arched windows bounced off of, illuminating the room.

Alfred scoured the rows and came up empty. Luckily, there was another room. The second part of the library was more for writing than reading. The rows were less exquisite, but still just as high. Before them were twenty tables, all long and slightly slanted, ideal for scholars. And that was where he found Yao.

The man had tried his best to conceal himself behind a tablet of a book, but Alfred knew. He was the only man in the room, amazingly enough. But as Alfred approached him, he found asking Yao was going to be a problem. He was sleeping.

Yao had been going through a rather delicate and stressful situation with his father butting into their political affairs. His campaign to be elected to Parliament to run for China County had become a full fledged fanfare. Alfred worried about his friend, and about the position Yao's father was trying to take. The current Lord of China was an older man, but he was fair. Well, as fair as Alfred had thought.

While he wasn't akin to Yao's father, he didn't know how much of the man's words were true in comparison to the current Lord. If that Lord was corrupt, then Alfred really didn't have any other choice but to elect Jiang. There was no one else running for the position. Jiang overburdened the competition by his name alone.

And Yao was in the middle of this. It was plain to see Yao wasn't pleased with his father's presence. Sure he loved him, they were family and the man had raised him from birth, but that didn't mean he had to like him. Jiang was a very persuasive man, if not ruthless and cunning, but that didn't always equate to a bad Lord. He could be very good at handling money and political issues.

All of this teetered on the fact that Alfred was biased. He did care for Yao's feelings, but was it more than his decision to rule against Jiang?

Finally, Alfred decided he would wake his friend. He had questions, and all of them needed to be answered starting now.

"Yao?" Alfred tried. He put a hand on his shoulder and lightly shook him. "Yao? Yao, wake up. I need your help?"

"Aiyah…," Yao grumbled. He lifted his head and yawned. It wasn't common that Yao wasn't well kept and paid attention to his looks. At the moment, his hair was frizzy and he seemed to still be asleep rather than awake as he blinked blearily up at Alfred. "Oh, Alfred. What is it?"

"I need your help. I need to research the past reign's economic situation with the Parliament," Alfred blurted out hastily. He blushed at Yao's stare. Was he judging him or trying to see past his intentions?

Yao yawned, looking away. He stood up with his shoulders drooping and his head still down. It was the last thing he lifted before stalking off down an unnamed aisle. Alfred followed along, hoping this meant Yao was going to find what he had asked for. The aisles were dark and hardly let in the light that poured into the room.

Stopping abruptly, Yao dusted his fingers across the spines of a few books, his eyes following along to skim the title. Finally settling on an appropriate book, Yao pulled it out and handed it over to Alfred.

"Here you go," Yao said.

Alfred smiled and then looked up at him, biting his lower lip. "And…can you also show me a book that has the records of every time Parliament met?"

Yao sighed, and turned to face the same shelf. It took him less time before he pulled out another book, this time much thicker than the other book. "Here."

Alfred's smile increased, and he quickly thanked Yao before turning to leave. However, Yao stopped him with a hand on his arm.

"May I ask why you're looking at this?" he asked simply.

Alfred's heart skipped a beat. Sure he was going to talk to Yao about this, but he hadn't planned on it happening so soon. He didn't even know for certain if Timo could be trusted and his word could be held up against all of Parliament. However, if he wanted to make sure Yao was completely on board, it was best he know for sure from the start. It would make it easier in the long run when he finally approached Arthur.

"Um… Well, I think Parliament has been stealing money or shuffling it to other places when it's needed elsewhere," Alfred started. "I…just want to check and see if this is true, and try to put it right, ya know? So what do you say, are you with me?"

Alfred's voice echoed in the painfully quiet room. For a moment, he feared that they weren't the only ones in the Library, and perhaps a politician was slinking around the corner with ears that could hear all. He squirmed on the spot as Yao continued to stare at him. At first, Yao's eyes were non-judgmental , but they slowly narrowed and he crossed his arms.

"What does it matter? You have no say in the finances of the kingdom," Yao said.

"Yes I do," Alfred replied. "I'm the King. I have every say in the finances. Especially if I'm suspicious of where it's going and how it's being handled."

"So how do you plan on tackling this?"

"Well…" Alfred nodded down at the books. "I'm going to start with this, and I'll have someone check it over with me, and then look at current records and…yeah… Just…garner…support?"

Alfred finished his statement feeling less confident than before, and had grown more and more nervous as Yao continued to stare at him. Those piercing Asian eyes were starting to worry him. Yao turned to face the shelf, and without talking, pulled out a pamphlet. He dropped it atop Alfred's pile, and smiled.

"You'll need this as well. It should help," he said. "May I ask who you are going to for help on looking over the finances?"

"I met a…a guy," Alfred started. He didn't know Timo's Number. It wasn't a problem to him, but it could be for others if they pressed for information. "He…He's the one who told me of this and that I should look into it."

"And why are you looking into it?" Yao asked. "These are all questions Parliament, and Arthur, will ask. I'm sure you haven't asked Arthur yet."

"N-no." If Alfred thought he was nervous before, he didn't know what he was now when he thought of presenting this before Arthur. "Bu-but I'm looking into it…because I think the money…could be used elsewhere."

"Like?"

"In other programs that are not getting enough funding," Alfred replied. "Like the research and invention program. Why aren't we putting more money into it even though the last King made it?"

"Because there's a law against it," Yao replied flatly.

"That I can overwrite," Alfred said quickly.

"And…you think you can?" Yao still hadn't changed his tone, demeanor, or stare. His poker face was spot on, and Alfred couldn't see him breaking through his barrier. If Yao was this hard, he had no idea how he would approach Arthur.

"Yes," Alfred said as confidently as he could. "Yes I can and I _will_."

Yao studied Alfred a moment longer, this time without speaking, and then smiled. "Well then, I will support you on this issue as long as you keep me informed on everything you're doing."

"Really?" Alfred exclaimed. This time his voice really did echo, and he flinched at the sound of his own voice. His excitement got the better of him.

Yao didn't mind, though. He chuckled. "Yes, but you have to convince Arthur on your own. I wish you the best of luck."

"Thank you," Alfred said sincerely. He clapped a hand on Yao's shoulder, squeezing it in appreciation, and smiled.

A loud bang from the front caused the men to jump. They heard footsteps, but neither moved to see who it was. The footsteps turned from a brisk walk to running. Soon, they heard a voice call out to them.

"Your Majesty!"

Alfred turned to see a young man in blue royal garb approach him and Yao. He stopped short to offer a polite bow, before reaching into a purple messenger bag wrapped around his shoulders, resting against his hip. From within he pulled out a scroll. An official message.

Alfred took it and thanked the man. As soon as the man was out of his sight, he promptly forgot what he looked like. He couldn't even recall the white hair or the red eyes that twinkled with delight. Alfred pulled off the seal and read the contents.

"What is it?" Yao asked. He stood on tiptoes and tried to peer over Alfred's shoulder.

"Oh God…," Alfred whispered. "A famine has broken out in the outlying counties."

"Eh?" Yao snatched the scroll from Alfred and quickly read the letter. "My county is on here!"

"Yeah…" Alfred wasn't listening. He was calculating what to do next. "We need to call in the Parliament and set up ways to help relieve everyone."

Yao nodded. "I will gather the Lords, and you go find Arthur. I'm sure he'll be most upset at seeing this. Oh, this is a bad omen..."

Alfred made haste as he scurried out of the library, relieved he felt he could breathe again, and headed for the lower rooms where he knew Arthur was practicing his magic with his newly appointed Lord in Waiting; the wizard that he felt had the best magical ability in the land, who he would now train in his magic. Alfred had met him briefly and noticed right away that he had a frightening case of sneaking glances at Black Magic books Arthur tended to push into corners and hide. He was from a small region of the far flung region of Romania, and was unfortunately about to be told his county was on the receiving end of a famine.

Alfred burst through the doors, not caring what Arthur could be doing, and halted. Arthur was surrounded by blue glowing crystals that hovered in the air around him. His eyes were shimmering a brilliant green, as if they truly were emeralds. In one hand was an open magic book, while the other was frozen in midair just above it, his fingertips bright with a warm light.

At Alfred's sudden intrusion Arthur stopped his chanting. The crystals fell to the ground, breaking into pieces, and startling the Romanian and Arthur. Arthur turned with a sinister glare, that earlier beautiful glow gone from his eyes.

"_Alfred_!" he seethed. "Someone had better be dying for you to disturb me!"

"Hey, what were you doing?" Alfred asked.

"A healing spell! Now tell me, why have you interrupted me when you know it is unwise?" Arthur was speaking through clenched teeth, and Alfred knew he had a short amount of time to talk before Arthur reached for the ominous black book sitting just out of arm's length.

"We've received word that a famine has broken out in many counties on the far reaches of the kingdom!" Alfred blurted out.

Arthur and the Romanian both turned on Alfred with rapt attention. They exchanged a few glances, and then Arthur dismissed his Lord in Waiting with a wave of his hand. He turned to Alfred and rushed past him out of the room and up the marble stairs. Alfred could only stumble after him, trying to keep up.

"That was rather crass of you," Arthur said condescendingly. "You do know that Costel is from an outlying county, do you not?"

"Y-yes, but you were so mad at me and I had to tell you quick before you-"

"It doesn't matter." Arthur waved him off, just as he had his Lord in Waiting. Alfred was a bit frustrated at Arthur's rudeness, but brushed it aside. There were more important matters at hand.

"Leon!" Arthur called. His servant appeared by his side suddenly from seemingly nowhere.

"Wow! I wish Tolys did that! Did you train him to do some magic, because that's awesome," Alfred commented.

Arthur ignored him. "Call Parliament to order."

"They are already waiting," Long Jia replied with a slight bow to Arthur and Alfred. "The congregation is in the Meeting Hall."

"Hey, wait, I thought your name was Long Jia," Alfred said suddenly.

Arthur finally registered Alfred beside him. "It is, but it's hard for me to say that. I call him Leon. Sounds just like it, yes? Shall we? There are matters to attend to."

"Oh right!"

The trio hustled to the Meeting Hall, which was probably the least ornate room in the castle. It was a rectangular room with a low ceiling and square, squat windows. The curtains that gathered on the floor were the only beauty to the room, it seemed. The large, wooden table in the center of the room was the main focus.

Currently, the members of Parliament were assembled around the table, chattering away, and not having any notice of Alfred and Arthur's appearance. At the head of the table were three chairs that were more elaborate than the others signifying they were for the Family. Yao stood and bowed politely to Alfred and Arthur, and a few other Lords took notice, quickly scrambling to their seats and bowing. The others soon followed suit.

As per tradition, the Jack was to speak first at the meetings. He quickly informed everyone of the famine and listed all the counties affected. When he was done, he sat back down, and now Arthur arose.

"My Lords, we have gathered here to devise a plan to put a stop to this famine so it cannot spread any further. Any of those with an idea, please step forward and present it for the Family."

For the next hour, Lords from various counties stood from their chairs and gave their grandiose ideas of how to save the remaining counties, and how their plan of action was better than anyone else's. Most of the time it was empty talk of how they were great and wondrous Lords, filling the air with fake stuffiness and big talks leading nowhere.

After a time, Alfred stood up, and the current Lord who was talking stopped immediately and quickly took his seat.

"Um, I've noticed something," Alfred started. His eyebrows were furrowed as he frowned, looking to each face in the room. "You all talk of how to help those that are healthy and fine, but no one has presented a case to how to save those affected right now. Aren't we going to help them?"

The Lord from County Panama arose, and cleared his throat. "Your Majesty, we do not have the funds for any sort of rescue."

"What? No funds?" Alfred looked appalled, and turned to Arthur. "No funds? How?"

"There are things that money has to go to," Arthur started, sounding obviously frustrated with having to explain this to Alfred. "It doesn't just sit there. We have to put it to use. And there are multiple sections and departments it has to fund, not to mention all the counties that are in the kingdom."

"W-well, yeah, I knew that, but you're telling me we don't have enough money set aside in case of emergencies?" Alfred looked back to the Lords. "What if there was a natural disaster? Would we be able to help them?"

"In time," a Lord said. "We would have to tax the people to garner the money and-"

"Tax?" Alfred's frown grew. "Tax them? Why? We already tax them enough. The kingdom will already suffer from this famine. Adding more taxes onto them will make it worse."

"We all must work together to help one another," Yao said.

"I understand your desire to want to help the people," Arthur said. "But you have to look at the larger picture. Rushing into this will just make it worse in the long run."

Alfred looked contemplative for a moment. "What if I could find a way to get that money, and still have enough to not tax the people _and_ can still have enough to keep the other sections open and fully funded? If I can find a way, can we send help?"

Yao and Arthur exchanged glances. Yao recalled the conversation he and Alfred had in the library just moments ago. The man knew something, and while he had talked it over with Yao and seemed confident enough, he had to prove himself. This was his time, and it was now.

Yao felt it was right to second Alfred's motion, so he stood, and nodded. "I am in favor of the King's proposition."

"What proposition?" Arthur asked. "He has merely presented an idea, a preposterous one, at that. It is impossible."

"T-then g-give me twenty four hours," Alfred said. He looked out at Parliament. "I have the Jack's backing. Anyone else?"

There was a pregnant pause. Someone coughed, another shuffled papers, but no one was jumping up to support their King. A sharp pain shot through Alfred's heart, until someone stood up. It was the Lord from his own county.

"I second it," the Lord declared with a polite nod to the Royal.

Alfred inhaled, feeling proud and strong that he could go through with his plan, even without Arthur or the majority of Parliament. But it was a motion. A motion that only needed a second, so it was perfectly acceptable to have the Family split on the issue. Hopefully, this time tomorrow, Alfred could convince Arthur to accept the idea he had in mind.

Parliament was excused, and the Lords dismissed themselves to go to their quarters. A few could be heard muttering their disgust. Others seemed worried, and were rushing off with sweat on their brow and an uneasy look on their face.

Alfred turned to Arthur and saw him glaring, shaking his head in disapproval at Alfred's actions. He stood, and started to leave.

"W-wait, Arthur." Alfred stumbled after Arthur, forgetting to thank Yao and the Lord from his county. "Wait, please. Hear me out."

"I will not," Arthur replied passively. "I think you're wasting your time. There is a better way, and we need to focus the strategy on the whole of the kingdom."

"So those counties are not part of the kingdom?" Alfred asked. He grabbed Arthur and forcefully turned him around. "We're not to care for them or even try?"

"Let's be practical here, Alfred. I understand your hero complex. It seems all Ones are born with that sense of unmanageable pride in them. But you cannot take money that is needed in one place and put it somewhere else. The kingdom just doesn't stop for every bloody problem. We have to work together. Please, listen to these men. They were assigned to this post for a reason. You are to heed their advice."

"The only advice I care about is yours," Alfred said, a little bluntly.

Arthur's face heated up, but he pressed on. His expression grew angrier as the volume of his voice rose. "Nevertheless, you should see the big picture here."

"All I see is people are dying, and it's going to get worse. What if those plans those Lords had doesn't work? What if it spreads?"

"Then we will work together to find a better method."

"And what of those still in those counties? You really think that our methods will save them and actually prevent the kingdom from going under? That's valuable land out there. I know it's all full of farms and Tens that the Lords and you Twos don't care about, but those are Numbers. Human beings. We can't forget them."

Arthur's blush had increased to an infuriated glow, and he tried to stand taller to force Alfred to back down. Suddenly, the light in his eyes changed to a different hue, and he seemed to be staring at something from far away. He faltered, and his angry flush vanished to a frightening pale color. Alfred, caught off guard, reached for Arthur as the man began to fall backwards.

"Arthur! Arthur!"

When Arthur opened his eyes he was in Alfred's arms, held against his chest, as Alfred called out for help. Alfred looked down in time to see those eyes, a different green than normal, focus their gaze on him. Slowly, Arthur placed a hand on Alfred's cheek, and a rare and unusual smile made its way across his face. Alfred had never seen Arthur really smile, unless he was being cheeky and egotistical, which was a moment few and far in-between. Still, this smile seemed to be not fully of his own.

He looked at Alfred, studying him, as if he hadn't seen him in years, or was just coming to realize he was there with him as they sat on the floor. Knowing Arthur had never made that face at anyone before made Alfred worried and a little uncomfortable, especially since he didn't quite know how to respond except with a pathetic smile of his own. The moment passed, and with it, so too did Arthur.

It was some time later that Arthur opened his eyes once more. This time, however, he was not on the cold floor of the hallway, nor was he in Alfred's arms. Now he lie in his bed in his chambers; the red and white draperies ruffling in the early evening breeze from the open windows. Arthur stirred, trying to sit up, when he was pushed back down by a firm hand.

He looked up to find Alfred hovering over him by the side of his bed. On the other appeared the castle physician. "What is the meaning of this?" Arthur asked.

"You fainted, Arthur," Alfred started. His tone, always sweet, was now heavily laced with worry. It caught Arthur off guard, and he allowed himself to be pushed back down into the pillow. "I had to get someone to check you out."

"There is nothing wrong with me," Arthur grumbled.

"Your constant light headedness and near fainting spells already had us worried, but now this? It's gone too far." Yao's voice startled Arthur, and he was surprised to see the man sitting off to the side, having been quiet from the start. "You say nothing is wrong, but we believe otherwise."

"As far as my medical examination is concerned, physically you are very healthy," the doctor said. "I cannot find any cause for this anomaly."

"See?" Arthur huffed.

"I'm not convinced," Yao said. He stood up and crossed the room to stand beside Alfred, his arms akimbo. "We need an explanation. Alfred is going out of his mind."

Alfred flushed, looking down at the bed sheets. "I-I'm just worried…"

Arthur dismissed the doctor, waiting until he was gone to speak his mind. "I believe this is connected to my magic increase. I have never had this problem because the Coronation, and that seems to be where it all began."

"You're right. It was. Right after the Coronation, before the reception." Alfred recalled seeing Arthur pale and drowsy after the ceremony.

Arthur nodded. "I have spent many hours pouring over books and practicing spells to find out if this is the case. I've concluded it's the only logical answer. My body must not be used to so much magical energy inside me."

Yao and Alfred looked relieved, but didn't move to leave. Arthur's dizzy spells lasted only a short while, and soon he would be better and full of color. However, this particular one had hit him harder than before. He still looked incredibly ill, and his eyes lacked any luster of his normally angered self. Alfred didn't like it, preferring even the angered and frustrated glint to them than this.

He remembered the way Arthur looked shortly before he fainted. It was more than just strange, it was downright bizarre. Alfred would be lying, though, if he said he didn't want to see it appear again. That smile alone had made his heart leap into his throat, settling into his voice box so he couldn't talk. He was grateful Arthur had blacked out soon afterwards, terrible a thought that is.

A moment had passed between the two avoiding each others gazes, and Yao felt left out. He took a step back with a wry smile. "I believe I have…"

Arthur cleared his throat. "Alfred, about your proposal…"

Yao stopped, and his horrified face had Alfred shooting out his hands in denial. His bright red face did little to convince Yao's penetrating stare otherwise; and Alfred had to note that Yao's stare was becoming as familiar as Arthur's glare. "I-it's not like that! It's what we talked about earlier!"

Yao narrowed his eyes in suspicion, but eventually turned and left. There was a cold feel to the room. Alfred felt warm, however, thinking himself a fool. Why was he suddenly a bumbling idiot around Arthur? Was it that smile? It had to have been. There was no other excuse for it. He was just a little star struck at the sheer brilliance he had received a real smile from Number Two Arthur Kirkland, Queen of Spades, of all people.

Yes, that's all.

When he turned back to Arthur, he was stunned to see the man was blushing as well, avoiding Alfred's gaze. "Uh…um… My…my position is still…not in favor with you."

Alfred's face fell. Arthur glanced up, but then snapped his eyes away. "I'm sorry. That money is needed elsewhere."

Alfred forgot Arthur's condition and decided he should yell. "What? But those people need it!"

Arthur shook his head. "It is a group of minor towns in a few outlying counties. I see no reason to help them when we do not have the funds. What little funds we have can be put to use to places that need it. Would you want to take away money from education or the military?"

"No one needs it right now more than those people. Are they not important?" Alfred pressed.

"They are Tens and Nines," Arthur started. "There are people elsewhere that have long histories to the kingdoms, those that are educated and have something to offer us, than can be-"

But Alfred's patience had worn out. He slammed his hands on Arthur's bed, effectively cutting him off. "They are families! Brothers, sisters, husbands, wives, mothers, and fathers! Who cares about the Numbers? There are human _beings_!"

Arthur, still quite woozy, winced at Alfred's ever increasing volume in voice. "Alfred…I…"

"And we _do_ have the money! Your friends, the Twos and Fours, hoarded it for themselves and then bailed out _their_ friends, instead of bailing out those who need it, like right now!"

"M-my friends?" Arthur stuttered. "How are they my friends?"

"You Twos are all alike! You only care about your money, your position, your good standing with the banks and the other nobles. You don't care about those who happen to be less fortunate than you! Well what will you do when the Tens are all dead and there's no more food for you Twos? You'll be _begging _for a Ten to return because I guarantee you, not one Two will get down on their hands and knees and plant a fucking seed to save their rich ass lives."

Arthur was stunned, to put it simply. He had never seen such an infuriated Alfred before. It was terrifying, actually. And since he was limply lying in bed with an enraged King beside him, well, he was scared. But he would never let on to this. Of course not. He was the Queen.

"Now who's being racist?" Arthur spat. "You're disgusting! My family has worked for hundreds of years to get where they are! What about your father? He was born and raised a One! His family before him were Ones! Are you going to blame your beloved father now for something he wasn't a part of?"

"Well if you're so adamant about not being like the other Twos, then why don't you start _acting_ like it? Those Lords stole money from the people! I intend to get it back!"

"Fine! You have twenty-four hours!"

"Less thanks to you!"

"To me? I beg your pardon?"

"If you hadn't fainted!"

"So this is my fault?"

"Yes!"

"Well you didn't have to stay here! You could have very well gone off to uncover some stupid lie just to save face!"

"Well excuse me, Your Highness, for giving a shit about you!"

"No one asked you!"

Alfred threw up his hands and stormed out of the room. The guards at the door jumped aside in fear. They had heard the argument from outside, and upon seeing their King so riled up, they held up their weapons in slight fear. The rumors had said that the man had super human strength now.

While Alfred and Arthur fumed in their separate antechambers, their poor servants having to listen to their rants about how stupid the other was, neither were aware of the duo outside. They hovered in the darkness, listening and chuckling. Scheming.

_It seems things are the same._

_Almost the same, yes._

_Exactly the same I'd say._

_Not yet. But in time._

_We have to be patient, don't we?_

_Don't complain. This will be fun to watch. We didn't get to see it the last time around._

_I guess. But we can interfere, right?_

_We wouldn't be awesome if we didn't._

* * *

><p><em>Hoshiko2<em>'s cents: My humblest apologizes for taking so long to update with this rather short chapter. My life has gotten rather difficult and finding a place to stay has become near impossible…

In any case, I wanted to get this out and introduce our new lurkers (yes, plural). I'm sure many of you will figure it out, but if any ask in the reviews, I will not directly reply saying who they are. Sorry. Next chapter should come much faster. I hope. Oh, and Costel is Romania, in case you didn't know.


	6. Act 1 Part 6

"Look at this!" Alfred exclaimed angrily. He waved the papers about, dropping his hands into his lap. He sighed from his spot on the floor.

Berwald, still working on the underside of the aero plane, paid him no attention. Timo, however, climbed down from the cockpit and came up beside Alfred. He wiped his hands on a grease rag.

"May I see that, Your Highness?" Alfred handed him the papers. "Wow... If I were running a business like this, I'd be arrested for fraud. Of course I'd be out of business first from bankruptcy."

"That's the thing! Parliament bailed them out! And the past Monarchy let it go! I don't get it."

"Well, if you want funds for helping the outlier counties, you'll have to do some shuffling around with the money," Timo said, handing back the papers.

"What Number would help me with that?" Alfred mumbled. He crossed his arms and looked at the grimy floor in thought, speaking his mind.

"I mean all the Twos and Fours that could help are paid off. And any others that aren't would think its crazy to help me out. I haven't shown my worth. They have no loyalty to me. So that's out."

"Not all Fours," Timo said. He smiled at Alfred. "Your Highness, for all the time you've been with us you have never asked what our Numbers are."

Alfred glanced up at Timo. "It didn't matter much to me."

Timo's smile turned fond as his eyes glistened with something Alfred didn't understand. It was so rare to find a man that didn't care about Suit and Number differences. And the King no less.

Timo suddenly fell to one knee in a deep bow, one arm behind his back and the other curled across his chest. Alfred watched him with raised eyebrows. "Your Royal Highness King Alfred. As your humble servant, Timo, I will assist you in this dangerous and troubling matter as your loyal Number Four."

Alfred scrambled up. "You're a Four?"

Timo kept his head bent. "Yes Your Highness."

Alfred pulled him to stand, his worried frown gone, replaced by his beaming smile of always. "This is great! You can help!"

"I will do my best, Sire," Timo declared.

* * *

><p>Once again, Parliament was called. The Lords took their seats with smug smirks on their face. They had no trust in Alfred's ability, and had prepared their own speeches. They shook hands with other Lords, patting their pockets of where folded parchments of papers were; most likely their speeches.<p>

Arthur watched the men in muted silence. He thought of Alfred's accusations, the state of the economy, and this sudden plague. What if Alfred had been right? What would that say about the previous Monarchy? He had been raised to have complete faith and adoration of the previous King and Queen, finding no faults within their dealings of finances. Of course, his family had been well off.

After meeting Alfred, however, things had changed. This boy who had risen to the status of a King in such a short amount of time talked of days in fields, plowing fields, and working his hands until they had blisters. Certainly not the lifestyle Arthur had were he stayed inside, was powered and perfumed to put on the right airs, and never had to go far for food. It was a strange thing to think that they were almost the same age and lived not terribly far from each other, and yet they had lived so vastly differently from one another.

Why am I thinking of him? Arthur thought, catching himself. He put a hand to his forehead and shook his head. He had to keep focus of the task at hand.

Alfred came in not much later. He glanced at Arthur and smiled. Arthur looked past him and noticed Yao hadn't arrived. That was highly unlike him. Jacks were responsible for calling Parliament to order while the Lords were staying in the castle during the duration of political process. If there were ever to be war, Alfred would have to call Parliament to order. Arthur had no standing to dismiss or call the Lords to order.

Instead, Yao's father had slid against the wall, watching with his hands behind his back. He seemed unusually subdued, his normal exuberant personality quelled for the time being. Arthur raised an eyebrow at this. Had Alfred called him here as a guest? Jiang was not a member of Parliament, nor did he have any official standing with the politics or the press.

"I have proof!" Alfred declared dramatically. The Lords shuffled to their seats, some taking longer than others in a blatant show of disrespect, before the Hall silenced for the King to continue. Alfred held up a sheet of paper in the air, his hand atop a stack of papers. "I have overseen the finances and determined that things the way they are presently are unacceptable."

Many of the Lords looked around nervously, trying to maintain their composure. Some tugged on their ties or shuffled their feet. Others looked at the table quietly. Their previous bravado had all but vanished by now. Arthur studied them as he had earlier, but then turned his attention to Alfred, waiting to hear more.

"However, I've found a mean to put money where it is due, and still have enough left over to help those in the affected counties."

"Your Majesty," interjected a Lord. He stood suddenly, giving a stiff nod. "If I may, just _how_ did you process with this overview of the finances? You have no previous dealings with money before, yes? How are we to take your word as truth?"

"I had a Number look it over," Alfred replied.

"Of what rank?"

"He's a Four."

"May we see his credentials?" the Lord asked. When Alfred hesitated, he pressed on. "Is he here? What bank does he work for? What has his employment history been?"

Alfred didn't reply. The Lords had turned their head from the outspoken Lord back to their King in anticipation, waiting for his response. He gave none. He hadn't even thought to ask Timo for any background information. He went off of sheer faith alone. Arthur's voice penetrated his ears. He should've checked the man. He's awfully sketchy to be a Four and work down in the basement like some Six. Oh Alfred, you _idiot._

There was a noise behind Alfred. He turned and saw Timo approaching from around his throne. Alfred smiled at him in appreciation. Normally bright and cheery, it was strange to see Timo frowning. There was a determined glint to his eyes as he stepped forward, standing beside the King where Yao would normally be. Alfred noticed the change in his attire. Gone were the overalls and short sleeves. He wore the purple and blues of upper class, fully showcasing his status as a Four. His fair skin no longer had smudges from soot. It startled Alfred to see him look so refined.

"I am the Four that oversaw the finances," Timo said. He dismissed the murmurs and obvious disapproval from the Lords around him. "The King and I worked together with Jiang Wang overnight."

"My Lord!" shouted a Lord as he jumped up. He pointed at Timo vehemently. "He was the previous financial advisor under King Philip! He was removed!"

"For suspicious reasons," Arthur said suddenly. He rose and the Lord sat. "This man was removed by a majority vote for his digging into finances and advising against the King supporting specific Lords. Those same Lords that called to have him removed." He nodded at Timo. "I would like to hear what he has to say."

"I second the motion," called Jiang, stepping up beside Timo.

"You have no standing!" shouted a Lord.

"He has been invited here as a personal guest of me, the _King_," Alfred said slowly. He stared down the Lords that had risen against him. "As such, I give him permission to speak."

Alfred gave Timo and Jiang a nod of acknowledgement. They returned it gratefully.

"Royal Family of the Monarchy, Lords of Parliament, and our guests of the press," Timo started. "I come before you with distressing news. It seems certain countries and businesses have been graciously 'donated' an overwhelming amount of money from the Treasury for the past ten years. This money could be better put to education, health, and to the current issue with the plague. Sir Wang and I have created what we think could distribute the finances and better the kingdom's economy."

"I move to discuss this," Alfred said.

"Aye," Arthur echoed. The Queen caught the King looking at him, and hurriedly looked away. No one paid them any attention.

For the next hour, a heated debate broke out over the course of action. They were claims of counties that swore they had no connection to the bribes, others calling for more funding from those that had received too much, and pushes to drop the talks all together. The tug of war raged on with neither side stepping down.

Finally, Alfred had had enough. He took a book and began hitting it against the table like a gavel. The sudden noise startled the Lords, and they settled back into their seats upon realizing what the King was doing. Brows slicked with sweat and flushed faces, the exhausted Lords were grateful for the rest.

"My Lords, I understand this is a delicate issue that can't be fixed in one day, but there is a more urgent matter." Alfred looked at everyone gravely. "While we sit here deciding the fate of the kingdom, there are people, the Numbers that do most of the living and dying around here, that need our immediate help. We shouldn't think how this benefits us or our businesses, but rather remember some compassion. These are fathers and mothers and brothers and sisters. The Lords from those counties have a duty to represent and protect their county the best they can here in Parliament alongside you, just as you do with them. If we are to get anywhere we must work together. We are one kingdom. Let's act as such."

Arthur stared at Alfred in a way no one else in the room was. Later he'd dismiss his feelings as one of awe and respect and more shock that such a boy could suddenly sound like such a man. The Lords made no move to object or agree. It was almost too painful to see. No one would support him, despite the fact he was their King. They were for the Crown, not the King.

Sure he needed to make his voice be heard and earn their respect, but that didn't mean he was to be shunned before he was even given a chance. Arthur furrowed his brow at this, and stood quickly. The sound of his clothes rustling and the throne moving slightly caused the Lords to look up. Alfred watched him with baited breath.

"Long live Spades. Long live the King."

A moment later, Timo repeated Arthur with Jiang following suit. Then, the Lords of America County and England County joined in. Alfred smiled, his confidence returning as more Lords that stood by him rose above those that called foul on his early reign.

Suddenly the doors to the hall opened. He Lords quieted, standing to see who had arrived. Alfred and Arthur looked over their shoulders. The Lords began to whisper upon seeing Yao returning. Timo moved away from Yao's throne with a polite bow, and Yao regained his spot. The man looked tired, but his eyes were alight with adrenaline.

Yao raised his hands out towards the Hall to silence everyone. "If you'll please, my Lords. I have news." He waited until a silence fell over the group to continue. "The reason for my tardiness is one of most importance. At the request of the King late last night I left at first light to the counties said to have been affected by this plague. I have found a startling revelation.

"There is no plague."

Lords jumped up, shouting with new life and gesticulating wildly at Alfred, blaming him. Alfred made no move to back down. He stared at the Lords in shock. So quick to judge. So quick to blame.

Yao held his hands up again. "Please! Listen! The King was misinformed! I was present when he received word of this plague. It seems someone came with intent of causing chaos within the Monarchy. The culprit is being searched for as we speak, but no one seems to recall his appearance, myself included."

"I move to dismiss the previous call to the finances!" yelled a Lord.

More joined in, and Alfred had no choice but to close the motion for now. When the next meeting was called he could always veto it down as long as he had Arthur and Yao on his side; something he was sure he had now. Parliament eventually dispersed, worn out from the long argument. Feeling defeated, Alfred headed to his room with a glum expression. He couldn't even approach Arthur, Yao, or Jiang to thank them.

Curious, Arthur followed him. "Alfred!" Said man paused and turned to him. "Do you have a moment?"

"Sure," Alfred replied. He sounded calm enough, but Arthur didn't trust his voice.

"You look….upset," Arthur started. He frowned. "You should be happy. That was quite a show of strength. The Lords that are true showed their colors today and supported you well enough."

Alfred brightened considerably. "Oh I am! And I'm glad everyone is okay! I was so worried. I just wonder who sent us that fake message."

"Is that why you sent Yao out?" Arthur asked. "I'm impressed. I hadn't thought of that. I admit my mind was wrapped up in the affairs of today to think much of it…"

Alfred blushed, scratching his nose. "Well my father told me to always check my sources. People lie."

Arthur snorted. "You didn't know who Timo was, did you?" Arthur's smirk caused Alfred to blush more and stutter, but not give an actual response. Arthur grew a little more serious. "You can't go on blind faith, Alfred… You'll get taken advantage of. This is a business for life now; not a family no matter how much people like to call it as such. Parliament will always try to work against you or butter you up with lies. You…you could get hurt."

Alfred stared at Arthur and found himself blushing almost to his ears. He moved close to Arthur, putting a hand on his shoulder in a friendly gesture. "Thank you for looking out for me."

"A Queen must stand beside their King," Arthur murmured with a strained voice.

"Am I your King?"

Alfred's question caught both of them off guard. They moved apart quickly with evasive eyes. Alfred wasn't sure where that question came from, but he felt some reason behind his action. Seeing Arthur blush and sputter felt like the appropriate reaction he wanted to see.

Arthur coughed once before trying to change the subject. "So…your speech at the end. It was very moving, yes?"

"Do…do you think I was right in what I did?" Alfred had reverted back to his bumbling, nervous self. Arthur found it charming and forgo any reason to hide his smile. "I mean, that was so unexpected of a new king, you know? Do you think they'll always be against me?"

"It doesn't matter. You will always upset someone. For every three people you make happy, one person will be unhappy. The important thing is for _you_ to be happy with your choice. It is your choice, and yes it affects hundreds of others, which is why you should think things through more carefully, but what you did now, with that accusation and that information to back it up, you were confident. Because you knew what you were doing. You felt it was right. Always stand by what you have to say."

Alfred smiled slowly, nodding along to him. "Oh. And thank you for agreeing with me. Even though you…"

Now it was Arthur's turn to smile, although his was more smug than Alfred's. "Seems I'm not the only one who is racist. Try not to judge me for my Number."

"But you said you were against it."

"I was," Arthur said, crossing his arms. "But when I am shown proof I can change my mind. That's the point of your debate, is it not?"

Alfred started to laugh. It was infectious and Arthur joined in. Perhaps it was from the joint relief there truly was no plague, or from the fact the meeting had gone relatively well, or maybe they were just enjoying a laugh together.

"Your Highness." Jiang approached the couple and bowed. He smiled at Alfred. "A tremendous show, sire."

Alfred returned the smile to Jiang. "Thank you Sir Wang! You were a great help with Timo. I appreciate it. Your help will not go overlooked."

"You're too kind, sire. If I may, I would like to reopen the Treasury department that the late King Philip had closed after Timo was forced out of office. I would also like to nominate myself. I would be honored to assist you if I could."

Arthur was surprised. When first meeting Jiang, Alfred did not look comfortable. He recalled Alfred mentioning to the man they had met once, before he was King and not being impressed. It was obvious by his treatment of his son that he didn't care for Yao's talent. And yet, the two were talking like old friends. Alfred truly had a way with people.

From seemingly nowhere, Yao joined them. He smiled at the trio, still looking a little weary from his travels, but in good spirits. "I have heard of my father's dealings with the Treasury. If this motion is put to court, I will second it. Sometimes the most bothersome of things are the most important ones to pay attention to."

"Then, that's settled," Alfred said, clapping a hand on Jiang's shoulder. "Parliament will not vote for Timo, and I have a funny feeling he likes being in the boiler room with Berwald."

Yao nodded, looking at his father. Jiang seemed different as he returned the look at Yao. Arthur felt that he'd intervene if he caught their stares. He had no one else to look at, so instead he turned his attention to Alfred. The man was beside himself in happiness.

It was infectious. And Arthur smiled again.

* * *

><p>They say the first King brought his Queen roses every day.<p>

She loved roses. And he loved her.

Alfred may not love Arthur, but he did like to see the man smile more than he enjoyed laughing at his frustrated grimace. And it was kind of nice to know that they didn't have to fight every day. It took a little over two months, but things seemed to be getting better between them.

The rose garden had always seemed seemingly empty with only gardeners tending to it from time to time. But Arthur was its secret inhabitant, sneaking out most afternoons to spend at least an hour at a time where he would lovingly caress the petals, smell their coveted scent, and bask in the warm glow they gave off.

So it was a surprise when Alfred appeared. Arthur looked up from his spot on the grass where he had been reading and found Alfred bending at the waist with a rose in his hand. A smile on his face. And a feeling that compelled Arthur to take the rose.

* * *

><p><em>Hoshiko2<em>'s cents: Ugu, what a terrible ending, but I wanted to end it. This chapter was way overdue. I do apologize. November was all about finishing _Rainbow Veins_, December was full of one-shots and my almost shut down of all writing, so January is my revival.

_Run_ has been pushed back (again) in favor of a new story. Those who follow me on tumblr might know this already, but there are many not on my tumblr. Starting today I will be opening two new tumblrs. They will be part of the _Tidal Wave_ story that will go back and forth between Alfred and Arthur's tumblrs were they will meet and interact with not only themselves, but with others, like yourself (if you sign up). Please see their blogs here (zombiezher0. tumblr . com) and here (blackladyqueenofspades . tumblr. com) to understand everything.

And Hoyle will be my main story I focus on for the time being. I need to get the ball rolling here. Next chapter will come faster, I promise.


	7. Act 1 Part 7

Arthur knew that the Monarchy had been forbidden from dabbling in modern technology for the past two reigns. The kingdom preferred their Family to still be carted around in carriages, wear old fashioned clothes, and remain simple in their political dealings. And Arthur found he liked it that way too. He wasn't fond of the steam powered mobiles, steam powered ships, or even the fashion inspired by the steam inventions that the younger generation sported. He thought it would look horrid on him, so he was grateful he wasn't forced to wear anything like that.

Alfred, on the other hand, was very much against this law. He had been born and raised in America County, one of the counties in the kingdom that was the forerunner of these new steam powered inventions, so he knew quite a lot about handling the new machinery. While the Parliament and the Monarchy struggled to compromise on an agreeable plan for the finances these past two months, Alfred struggled to sneak in a new law to abolish the old one in hopes it would go unnoticed. Luckily (or unlikely for Arthur), it did.

Finally free to be open about their positions, Timo and Berwald were given new, brighter quarters so that they no longer had to hide in that stifling boiler room. That was when they proudly unveiled the first ever aeroplane.

Yao stared at it in awe, fingers itching to inspect every inch of it. "Aiyah, this is amazing," he breathed. "You two built this?"

Timo nodded with a wide grin. "Yes and the King will be helping us with the last of it."

Arthur, having been glaring at the plane in distaste from afar, snapped his head up at the mention of Alfred's name. "Alfred? He is to help?"

"Oh yes," Timo replied. "The King is very imaginative. He has a notebook where he draws up detailed plans of other inventions. We have already put in a request for more money to fund our future projects. Is it not exciting?"

"Quite," Arthur mumbled, no longer paying attention. He checked the surroundings, noticing something, or rather someone, was amiss. "Just where is our gracious King?"

Yao paused from his avid inspection to look towards the gardens. "I believe I saw him trying to sneak off towards the ocean."

"The ocean?" Arthur repeated, raising an eyebrow. "Why? Has he never been?"

Timo's smile changed from one of proud accomplishment to a rather secretive one. "The King often daydreams of seeing it. I wouldn't be surprised if he was heading off to see it."

"Wants to swim," Berwald mumbled.

"Surely he has something to do," Arthur said. He had turned fully towards the ocean by now. Having lived on an island his entire life he never thought much of the large body of water. Again, Alfred was excited about something Arthur dismissed as normal. "Someone should check on him."

Yao frowned briefly, opening his mouth to speak, before closing it. A smile similar to Timo's formed on his face. "Yes. The King should see this fine piece of machinery. I shall stay here in case he returns. Perhaps you should find him?"

Arthur was nodding absentmindedly as he drifted away. He muttered, "Yes. Yes of course" as he left, missing the shared smiles Yao and Timo had.

The Queen didn't have to wander far to find Alfred. The young King was crouching in the bushes just outside the castle walls. They were the last building that separated him from the ocean. Arthur tilted his head, curious as to what Alfred was going. Surely he could just stroll onto the beach with no problem.

"Alfred?"

The King jumped and spun his head around in alarm. He hissed at Arthur to be quiet, and then yanked him down into the bush. Arthur struggled as Alfred put a hand over his mouth to silence him. Alfred then wrapped his other arm around Arthur to keep him still. Arthur eventually stopped as he knew it was futile to even try with Alfred's unusual strength. A moment later a pair of guards marched by, missing the two royals hiding in the bushes like children.

Alfred peeked his head over the top. He then smiled at Arthur triumphantly. "I think the coast is clear," he whispered.

He released Arthur, the Queen now infuriated at being held in such a compromising manner. He hated being manhandled. Arthur started to bark his anger at Alfred when a hand grabbed his wrist. He looked from the hand up to Alfred, his smile growing impossibly wider. That was enough to stop Arthur from venting his frustration.

"C'mon!" Alfred exclaimed. "Let's go!"

Arthur had no choice but to run with Alfred. Well, it was more like he was dragged, but he could've put up more of a fight. If he had enough will to do so in the first place, that is. Alfred never loosened his grip as he ran straight towards the beach front doorway that he had been eyeing.

Arthur watched the back of Alfred's head as they ran. His steps began to falter as something caught his eye. A laugh, an affectionate touch, that warm smile, and then hard dirt hitting his face.

"Arthur!" Alfred cried. He skidded to a stop, scrambling to help Arthur. He helped him flip over onto his back and inspected his face to see if anything was bleeding or broken. He damaged was minimal. "Arthur? Arthur, are you okay?"

"Y-yes… Sorry…" Arthur blinked about, dazed as to why he was on the ground. "Alfred…?"

"I'm here" Alfred replied. He put a hand on Arthur's back once the Queen had been able to sit upright. His eyes flickered up as he heard footsteps approaching. His yell had alerted the guards.

"Your Highness!" the men shouted as they neared.

Alfred held up a hand. "The Queen is fine. The afternoon sun just made him feel faint." He returned his attention to Arthur. "Can you stand?"

"Y-yes," Arthur stuttered. He faltered as he rose, finding difficulty in regaining his breath. Eventually he stood, albeit a little wobbly. He kept his head held high, stalking away from the worried crowd that had gathered around him. He could hear Alfred trailing after him.

Surprisingly the talkative King remained quiet. Arthur chanced a glance back to him and found he was quite downtrodden. Recalling how focused Alfred had been in his attempt to reach the beach unnoticed, Arthur blushed as guilt crept up his neck. Had he not fallen they could be on the beach by now and Alfred would not look so glum.

Arthur looked down at his feet sheepishly. "Ah… I apologize."

"Huh?"

"For getting you caught."

"Oh!" Alfred laughed once. "It's okay. You can't help that you fainted. Are you feeling better?"

His words caused Arthur to blush even more. He knew it wasn't from shame, though. He decided to not look back at Alfred lest he receive his teasing about what a red face he had. "Yes. Fine."

There was a silent moment shared between them. Arthur thought of why he had even come down in the first place. Ah yes, the plane. That's why. He knew Alfred would boast about it, loudly, probably for hours, forcing Arthur to retreat to the sanctity of his rose garden. Wouldn't Alfred just join him there eventually?

"So," Alfred started, startling Arthur from his thoughts. "Why were you there? Were you looking for me or were you going to the ocean too?"

"Oh, no." Arthur coughed once, keeping his eyes trained ahead even as he felt Alfred finally keep pace alongside him rather than tag along behind. "Timo and Berwald were showing off the aeroplane and mentioned you. I thought that you would like to be there since they told us you had helped put it together."

This time when Alfred laughed it sounded more like his laugh. Full and loud. "What did you think of it?"

"An atrocity," Arthur said all too quickly. Somehow that made Alfred laugh again.

"I bet you think people aren't meant to fly, huh?"

Arthur shrugged. "Perhaps. If we were meant to be in the air, we would've been born with such an ability."

"Ah hah, see? That's what we have!" Alfred tapped Arthur on his temple, eliciting an annoyed grunt from the Queen. "We _do_ have it. It's right here. Our brain! We're the smartest creatures on the planet, right? So why not put it to use? We have tools and such. That's how we managed to make everything we have now from homes to our clothes. What's so different from building a machine that takes us up into the sky?"

Arthur had stopped by now. Alfred walked ahead of him for a few steps before noticing the Queen was behind him. He turned to face Arthur.

"What's with the face?" Alfred asked.

Arthur's face wasn't one purely of shock, but more of wonder and confusion. "You… you really are a surprising chap, you know that? Here you are, spouting out the most ridiculous things like having one of those rushed restaurants fixed in here in the castle one minute, and the next you say something so…"

"So…? So what?"

"Forget it." Arthur began walking towards the castle. "Let's get back to the others."

* * *

><p>It was exactly two days that Arthur called upon Alfred. The King showed up at his quarters slightly surprised he had been summoned. For a moment he worried that Arthur was upset at him, but he wasn't sure how. He had been quiet the majority of the meeting with Parliament today since he had been granted the extra money for his projects. Was that why then?<p>

Alfred shifted his feet nervously. "Um… Is something wrong, Arthur?"

"Wrong?" Arthur blinked at him, furrowing his brows slightly. "Why would anything be wrong?"

"Well, to be blunt, you seem to want to only call on me when you're angry at me."

Alfred's words hovered in the air for a painfully long moment, and Alfred thought maybe he should just leave. Arthur's thick eyebrows bent down the longer he stared at Alfred. Then, "No. Nothing is wrong. I thought that I might give you something back since I took it away recently."

That perked Alfred's interests. "You took something? I don't remember anything missing. Was it a book? You can keep that. I probably won't read it."

Arthur huffed. "No you insufferable… Just come with me."

The Queen left through his servant's entrance, waiting for Alfred to follow. When he did, the duo moved down the spiral staircase, effectively scaring the maids and servants that normally trekked along this pathway. Along the way Arthur told them all to be quiet as to their actions. Alfred highly doubted they'd keep to their word, but he said nothing as he obediently followed along.

It was nice to have Arthur do something for him, although what that was exactly was still unclear. He had said he was returning something he had taken from Alfred, but what had that been? The few valuables he had were only in his bed chambers, not his antechambers. And he knew Arthur had not stepped foot in there.

When they stepped out into the courtyard, Alfred knew something strange was happening. "All right. What's going on? Where are we going? If you have something of mine, wouldn't you have given it back to me in your chambers?"

Arthur chuckled. "Silly boy. You'll spoil the surprise if you keep asking questions. Just be patient."

Alfred clicked his tongue in disapproval. "Fine…" It was only a moment later, though, that Alfred began to whine again. "Where are we going! I wanna know what you're doing."

While Arthur found his complaints to be an earful, he grinned and walked faster. Surprisingly no one came to fetch them or bothered them along the way. Guards saluted, scholars bowed, and servants skidded out of the way. Alfred felt relieved and wondered if it had something to do with Arthur's surprise.

Arthur came to a stop suddenly and looked around. When he was certain no one could see them, he pushed aside a hedge and scrambled in past it. Alfred stared at it, waiting for Arthur to return and explain his erratic behavior.

"Are you coming or not?" Arthur called from the other side.

Sighing, Alfred followed suit with Arthur and found they were in a small clearing with a single tree in the center. The hedges were so overgrown that no one from the castle could see in. Even standing right beside the plants, a person on the pathway wouldn't be able to see their blue attire.

"What is this?" Alfred asked. He looked around at the greenery with his mouth slightly agape.

The late morning chill had yet to evaporate into the afternoon warmth. There was the light smell from the dew that still clung to the grass, and the breeze smelled of salt. A smile easily came to Alfred's lips.

"I took a precious moment from you," Arthur started. He wasn't looking at the King as he continued. "A chance to be alone. That was why you tried to sneak out that day, wasn't it?"

"Yeah," Alfred replied gently. "So…you're giving me time alone?"

"I shall keep the others away if they grow curious as to your whereabouts. You will not be disturbed all day."

As Arthur started to leave, Alfred moved to block his way of leaving. "Wait. I'd… I'd like it if you stayed." When Arthur stared at him with wide eyes and a red face, Alfred looked away with the same expression. "I mean… You probably don't get a lot of private time too. So…why not… stay for a bit? You can leave if I… If I start to piss you off."

Arthur sighed, and then smiled. "Fine. I suppose I can stay for a spot of tea."

"Tea?" Alfred looked around and held his hands out, face scrunched up in confusion. "Where will you make tea? And with what?"

"Your Majesty, you are quite a forgetful one." Arthur chuckled and waved a hand. A small teapot materialized out of thin air, floating before Alfred's very eyes. Eventually an accompanying teacup appeared as well. "I am a mage."

Alfred laughed, poking at the tea pot and cup. "Figures you'd make them look so flowery."

"What's wrong with flowers?" Arthur sneered, snatching his teacup from the air.

"Nothing!" Alfred replied quickly, his hands held up in defense. "I just… If I'm to drink tea with the Queen I should hope it be something more suited to a King. Catch my drift?"

Arthur scoffed, but waved his hand. Another teacup appeared, this time with the royal symbol of Spades repeated in an elegant pattern around the cup. Alfred took his cup, thanking Arthur. He took a spot under the tree, leaning his back against it. Arthur joined him, and summoned a plate of biscuits (or cookies as Alfred had to constantly say), a small sugar bowl, and a cup of cream. The two settled into a relatively quiet peace together. They dipped their biscuits in the tea, refilling their cups from the bottomless teapot, and just basked in the sunlight.

No one came looking for them until the sun had begun to set.

* * *

><p>Parliament had heard word of the law passing, and many were displeased. They demanded to see this aeroplane in action, calling that it was unfit for public use as it could be unsafe. Alfred figured many of them would come to see it with that idea locked into their head already, but nevertheless he worked on the final touches of it with Timo and Berwald into the late evening, finishing near dawn.<p>

When the Lords came to view the machine, it had been moved outside. The sun was shining that spring day, much to Arthur's chagrin. Ever since his last fainting spell he'd been having headaches that sent him into a tizzy and he'd have to retire to his bedroom early. Alfred and Yao caught wind of this and tried to help him while balancing their own hectic schedule. It only made Arthur feel all the more pathetic.

I should be able to overcome this, Arthur would think to himself as he lied in his dark room, waiting for his headache to vanish. The only time it has left me is when Alfred is near. He must be some cause of it.

Arthur had no time to really look further into the issue of what Alfred's involvement could possibly be. He just put on his best face (a grimace today, possibly a scowl later on in the evening), and waited for the King to arrive to unveil the finished product.

Sure enough, Alfred appeared with Timo and Berwald following slightly behind. Surprisingly, the Ace of Spades had decided to be present as well. He eyed the clothed shape with uncertainty. Arthur couldn't blame him. The last time they had seen it, the machine looked unstable. There was no way it could fly.

Alfred gave a great speech full of pomp and circumstance, and Arthur thought he was learning fast. While he still had those tendencies to surprise everyone to do and say something that was most unlike a Monarch, he wasn't doing so as often. Or perhaps Arthur was just growing used to the boy.

Finally, Timo and Berwald pulled off the sheet and Alfred held his hands out to the aeroplane. It wasn't a hunk of metal like Arthur had seen before. Now it had color and cohesion and looked stable. The wings were long and had three interlocking joints, much like an arm. The tail of the plane was stiff, but a long metal wire ran to the steering wheel. It stood on what appeared to be metallic chicken feet that would retract up into the plane when in the air. All in all, it seemed like an actual bird, except made out of metal and powered by steam.

The Lords "oo"ed and "ahh"ed before tentatively approaching it with curious hands. Yao, pleased that it was finished, moved to talk to Timo about all the mechanics of it. Arthur, however, stayed behind. He watched as Alfred climbed into the cockpit, as that was what he had called it. It really wasn't much of a pit; more like a way for Alfred to not have his body hang out to flap about as the plane flew. There was no glass or other cover for which he could pull over his head. Timo simply handed him a pair of goggles that he put over his eyes.

Arthur then realized just what he was about to do. He marched over with tight fists. "Alfred! Get out of there this instant! The King should not fly this contraption!"

"Why not?" Alfred asked, ignoring Arthur as he started to rev up the motors on the inside.

"Because you could get hurt and then what will the kingdom say that their new King was injured because of a bloody infernal _flying machine_?" Arthur seethed. The Lords were chuckling to themselves, muttering things around Arthur that only made him blush. "Now get down. Let the engineers responsible fly it."

"Ah, but I am afraid of heights," Timo said. "And Berwald hates closed in spaces like the cockpit."

"Why don't you go with him?" Yao offered.

"Yeah! That way if something happens, you can use your magic to save me. Right Artie?"

A loud clanking noise from the plane masked the loud protests Arthur shouted. The Lords backed away, watching as the wings began to move up and down. From their joints, steam seeped out, covering the area in a light fog. Arthur and Yao backed away with a hand covering their mouths. The wings then flapped harder, and the sound of metal scraping together was heard over the roar of the engines. The steam was blown away to reveal the plane was actually hovering in the air.

Alfred held out a hand to Arthur. "Come with me!"

There was no rhyme or reason to it, but Arthur grasped that hand and allowed himself to be lifted into the air. Weightless. Free. Safe and secure.

But then he felt cramped and suddenly scared out of his mind.

He clung to Alfred and screamed in a most undignified manner as the ground flew away from them and the sky came that much closer. Burying his face into his own chest and clenching his eyes tight, he willed the bile rising in his throat back down. That weightless feeling was suddenly turning into a horrible thing.

"Arthur! Open your eyes! Look!" Alfred said. He put one hand on Arthur's shoulder and rocked him gently. His coaxing made Arthur slap at his hands away. "Come on. Trust me! I won't let anything happen to you."

The world came into view, but not like anything Arthur had ever seen before. The clouds, forever intangible to the hand, were now wafting past Arthur at an alarming rate. But there was no more fear. He stared in awe at the sky as it had engulfed the two of them in that plane.

Alfred's eyes, always the color of the sky, seemed as if they were glowing. He laughed and pulled off his goggles, enjoying the view. Arthur looked away from him, returning his attention to the effervescent blue around them that seemed to swallow them whole. Arthur felt the fear in his back slide away as the plane swooped down. The kingdom below was of green and browns, littered with a few houses here and there of white. The palace itself was a crowning jewel that glittered off of the deep blue sea.

The men gasped at the view, sharing a smile at each other neither had ever given the other before.

It was time to come back down, but the landing was not as smooth as the sailing had been. The plane shook and violently shuddered as the feet came whirring down. The Lords waved their arms and pointed at the field they were to land in, but Alfred had trouble steering.

"Alfred!" Arthur shouted. He grabbed the wheel. If they didn't land or pull up, they would hit the sea.

The plane tilted up to miss the wall, but the tail scrapped along the top. It caused the plane to wobble, and the wire snapped. Alfred lost control of it, and the plane began to spiral down into the water. Rather than risk getting sucked down with the plane, Arthur used his magic to transport the two of them out.

The only problem was, his teleporting took too much magic, and they were promptly dumped into the sea. Alfred sputtered some and splashed about as he yelped out at the sudden cold, but he managed to stay afloat. He watched the plane hit the water. It seemed to have sustained minimal damage as it wasn't high in the air when it began its decline.

Suddenly he realized he was finally in the ocean. He laughed and waved his hands about, savoring the feel of the cool water all around him. It was short lived, however, as he heard Arthur's frantic cries. He spun around and saw Arthur only a short distance away. He was splashing wildly as his head bobbed up and down in the water. He was drowning.

"Arthur! Hang on!" Alfred shouted. He swam towards him, his body moving fluidly through the water as if he'd always been in the ocean. He just had been trained by his father as he had been told a proper Knight had to know how to swim.

When he reached Arthur, he grabbed hold of him as the man started to sink under the surface. He had passed out; probably from all of his flailing and lack of air. Alfred just hoped he didn't get too much water in his lungs.

Shouting was heard from the shore, and Alfred could make out the distant forms of the Lords and Yao. He headed in their direction with Arthur held securely against his side, his head above the water.

Yao rushed to them when Alfred finally reached the beach. He helped drag Arthur to lie on his back, and began rubbing his chest vigorously in hopes of awakening Arthur. Alfred stared at the man, his Queen, in pathetic fear. He had told Arthur to trust him. That he would protect him. They had shared a smile. A moment. And now it was gone. And it was his fault.

"Arthur! Come back!" Alfred shouted as tears sprang up. "Damnit you stupid! Don't you die on me! You haven't yelled at me enough today! I know you want to wake up and tell me how stupid I am for flying that plane! WAKE UP!"

His shouts seeped through Arthur's water clogged ears, and he sat up with surprising speed, gasping for air, only to fall into a fit of coughs. Yao fell back with a loud sigh of relief. The Lords hovering nearby clapped in happiness and began to talk of what to do next. Alfred, however, didn't restrain his joy at seeing Arthur alive. Alive.

He pulled him into a hug, rubbing his back and muttering apologizes into his ear.

Yao missed the Queen mumbling, "Don't be. I had a good time."

* * *

><p><em>Hoshiko2<em>'s cents: So this chapter kind of got away from me at the end there. I had no idea what happened, but I really liked the turn out. And yes, that plane ride was so inspired by "A Whole New World", and the two totally shared a moment of shinning, shimmering, splendor as they flew off on their magic steam powered plane.

Thanks for the amazing turn out for Tidal Wave. I've set times now, so it updates every week on Sundays at noon-3 and Mondays 6PM-9 (Pacific Time). There will be a monthly recap of the events on a separate fic, so don't worry if you've missed anything. Details are on their blogs. Thank you for reading!


	8. Act 1 Part 8

After the incident with the aeroplane, the Queen was rushed back to his room. Alfred watched with rising guilt until his head fell. Some of the Lords took pleasure in seeing the man, always so high and mighty, get knocked down a few pegs. It was his fault the plane had failed. And it was his fault the Queen had almost died.

Thinking of a life without Arthur hit Alfred hard. They'd only been ruling for a little under four months, but he had grown accustomed to both Arthur and Yao in a very short amount of time. He depended on them. Yao, with his unmatched wisdom and his profound patience, and Arthur, with his explosive temper and aggressive control, kept Alfred together. He liked that.

Retiring to his room, he found he couldn't rest. The day's events had unfolded in a way that tugged at his heart and sent his head into a whirlwind of emotions. He couldn't sit still in any of his chairs, finding them too hard and uncomfortable, finally moving to lie on his bed with an arm over his eyes.

A knock came at his bedroom door, and a moment later his servant arrived. Alfred didn't lift his arm to even spare a glance, let alone greet him as he always did.

"Your Highness?" Tolys asked, worry lacing his voice. "Sire, do you need anything?"

"I almost killed Arthur," Alfred breathed. "What could I possibly want?"

Tolys sighed and sat at the edge of the bed. "If I may be bold, I believe you're taking things too far. The Queen is fine. He's rested and is even back up on his feet. The Queen didn't seem angered by the tragedy."

"Of course he's not," Alfred grumbled. He pulled down his arm, but didn't look at Tolys. His eyes were staring at the tapestries above him. How he wished he could melt away into the reds and blues. "But that doesn't mean it didn't happen."

"Arthur would tell you to perk up and to move on from all of this." Alfred rolled onto his side, looking out the window. "Alfred… You could not have known about the difficulties of landing the plane. It was the first flight. And the Queen is safe. Didn't you have a good time with him up in the sky?"

"I did…," Alfred said. He sat up after a moment. He looked at Tolys and gave a small smile. He placed a hand on his shoulder in a friendly gesture. "Thank you… I think I just need to be alone, but not here. If you don't tell anyone… could I go to the tower?"

Tolys smiled, putting a hand up on the one resting on his shoulder. He nodded. "Yes, Alfred. I think I can do that."

When he rose to leave, Alfred caught his wrist. "Wait… I need you to do me one more favor."

* * *

><p>Arthur was reading when he heard a knock at his chambers. His servant moved to answer, nodding at whoever was on the other side of the door. "Leon? Who is that at the door?"<p>

"The King's servant, Your Majesty," Long replied. He hated that his Queen still called him Leon, but he didn't object anymore. Arthur always dismissed him and promptly forgot Long had even complained. "He comes with a note from the King."

Arthur waved for him to enter. He sat up in his bed, having been forced to lie down when he was moved back to his quarters. The brunette man, Tolys, bowed once to Arthur before offering the note to him. Before reading it, Arthur eyed the servant before him.

"How is the King?" he asked. He recalled how shaken up Alfred had looked after Arthur had woken. He clung to him so tightly. His heart hammered in his chest and he sounded near tears. When he had been pried from the King's arms, Arthur looked back at him. He had never seen Alfred look more shattered.

It wasn't right. He should be smiling and laugh it off like he always did. Because Alfred never took things seriously. It was all a game, a joke, and the world was his stage to show off.

"He is… troubled," Tolys replied with a grimace. "He feels responsible for what happened with the plane. I fear he's most worried about your condition."

Arthur tsk'ed at the notion and opened the note. "I am perfectly fine. He is merely over reacting."

Reading the note, Arthur grew silent. It was short, but Arthur reread it once more to make sure he had understood everything correctly. He put the note down and pushed aside his covers. On cue, Long was there to try and stop him.

"Are you well enough?" Long hurriedly asked as he tried to keep Arthur sitting.

The Queen brushed him off and reached for his coat. "Yes, yes. I'm fine." He looked at Tolys sternly. "Take me to the King. I must speak with him right away."

"I'm afraid…he's indisposed," the servant replied.

Arthur arched an eyebrow. "With what?"

There seemed to be a bit of a twinkle in Tolys' green eyes. He smirked knowingly at Arthur, and Arthur was surprised that such a man wasn't at all nervous being in the presence of the Queen. For the past few months he had been on rather informal with the King, calling him by his first name and cracking a few jokes when he spared Alfred a cup of water during Parliamentary duties. How could a man who had never served a royalty in the past have such bravado, Arthur wondered.

"I believe he wanted some time alone," Tolys started slowly. He was bowing now, preparing to duck back through the door and take his leave, but he stopped just shy of the doorway. "Perhaps you may find him in a spot most unbefitting of a King. But don't check below. You and I both know he's an _airhead_ of a King."

Long gawked at the choice words Tolys had said about the king. He watched him leave, turning back to the Queen, expecting him to be enraged as well. Instead he looked contemplative.

Arthur continued to stare at the note before throwing off the covers and reaching for his coat. Long rushed forward with hands at the ready to push him back down. The Queen would hear nothing of it.

"Leon, don't fret. I am merely going in search of the King. Yes, yes, I feel fine." He waved his servant off despite the Asian man's protests. "Leon, please. If you wish to be of service of me you may tell me where the entry is to the tallest tower."

* * *

><p>The tower was small and circular. There were no pieces of furniture in the space, but it didn't seem like any could in the cramped room. Despite the castle's young age, this particular area looked old with dust clinging to cracks in the stone walls and blanketing the stone floor. A long window was on the far wall, and it was here Arthur found Alfred.<p>

The King was sitting in the window with his legs dangling out in the air. He seemed subdued in his own thoughts, hardly noticing as the sky turning indigo and the first signs of stars began to twinkle in the distance.

"Alfred?" Arthur called softly. He didn't want to startle him and cause the King to plummet to his death. Even so, Alfred did start at the voice, but at least he didn't fall. "What're you doing here?"

"I thought I told Tolys…"

"You did," Arthur said quickly, interrupting Alfred. He held up the note he had received. "I demand to know what this is about."

Alfred sighed and turned to look back out at the view. "Exactly what it says."

Arthur came to stand beside Alfred, slapping the paper down on the sill. "You are over reacting! I am perfectly fine. No more writing to me with such foolish words of…of! Asking if I trust you or not!"

Alfred shrugged. "Isn't it good I want to know if you're okay or not?"

Arthur crumbled the note, tossing it aside. It landed with a thump on the ground. Arthur continued with his tirade. "You did not know that the aeroplane would react that way! You needn't blame yourself!"

"You warned me…"

"And when have you _ever_ listened to me? It is not in you to follow orders or to feel remorse over such situations! I may have died, sure, but I knew I was safe." Arthur huffed, catching his breath. "I _do_ trust you."

Arthur's words echoed off the stone walls and the inside of Alfred's heart. Arthur's face, red with something he chose not to think about, had fallen into his hands as he leaned against the window sill, elbows propping himself up. There was no noise until Alfred turned his head. Arthur swore inwardly. The boy could probably hear his heart thrumming in his chest.

"You trust me? Even after…?"

"Yes, you twit," Arthur breathed. He lifted his head.

The sky was now dark and the town below had lit up, the lights looking like fairies in the dusk. He'd never seen the town lit up before, not from this height. Briefly he understood why a man would isolate himself up here.

"If I didn't know any better, I'd say you cared about me," Alfred said, his voice light and teasing. "This is a surprise coming from you, Mr. Two."

Arthur flushed more. "Don't make such comments when I am in a position to push you right out this window."

Alfred leaned back and laughed. His voice bounced off of the walls and probably filtered down to the gardens below. "You wouldn't do it!" He nudged Arthur with his shoulder. "And even if you did, I know you'd use your magic to save me again."

Now it was Alfred's turn to blush. Curiously, he looked away and rubbed at his nose. He always seemed to do such a nervous twitch when confused or anxious. "I didn't get to thank you for that."

"It was nothing…" And to Arthur, it really wasn't. "You saved my life too…"

"I, uh, won't tell anyone you can't swim," Alfred said with a cough. Arthur sputtered in embarrassment. "It's okay. People think you were knocked out. No one knows, and I promise I won't tell."

Arthur went quiet after mumbling his thanks. Then, "I'm afraid of ghosts."

"What?" Arthur looked at Alfred with a raised eyebrow.

Alfred smiled nervously, covering it all up with a laugh. "W-well I know something about you. Now we're even. You won't have to think I'm black mailing you or anything. I'm not gonna hold this over your head."

Arthur chuckled then. He relaxed in a way Alfred had never seen. Those usually dark emerald eyes now gleamed a bright jade. Alfred's throat grew dry and his chest was tight. It was like when he smiled and it stopped Alfred from breathing. Alfred wanted to touch that delicate smile, somehow savoring it. Arthur was capable of so many frustrated, irritated, and angered expressions. The closest to a "happy" face Arthur came to was one more akin to a smug smirk or a haughty and arrogant grin. These smiles, though, held no such trace.

Beauty, Alfred thought fondly.

"So this is what it's like," Arthur commented offhandedly. Alfred asked him what he meant. "…to have friends."

There was an unsettling feeling that rested on Alfred's gut. He put a hand on Arthur's shoulder, feeling him tense momentarily at the touch, but relaxing when only silence followed. They remained that way for a few moments.

Alfred had been popular all of his life. Girls loved him and men admired him. He supposed this was from his father's fame, but either way he reveled in it. He wasn't surprised to hear Arthur say such a lonely thing, but to have him admit it, it was made all the more real at how lonely Arthur probably had been all of his life. Alfred hated to think of it, but he could easily manage such a vision.

Arthur always to himself. Left behind when others ran ahead. And no one going back for him. He squeezed Arthur's shoulder as a sign of camaraderie.

Arthur slowly asked, "How did you find this place?"

Alfred chuckled. "When one wants privacy, he'll find it or go crazy from the hunt. Yao said that to me once… and then showed me how to get here."

"He's a good man, Yao is," Arthur said with a nod. "We should do something for him."

"Like get him in the kitchen for a few hours. He'd like that."

There, Arthur laughed. Alfred's heart leapt in joy. "Yes I'm sure he would. Ah, Alfred, if I may, where did you learn to swim if you have never seen the ocean?"

"My father," he replied casually. Arthur nodded once. Finally, Alfred removed his hand from Arthur's shoulder. Both ignored the tingling sensation that had lingered from their contact. "There was a big lake near me. He said every One has to know how to swim. So then why don't you? You come from an island County."

"Nobles are not expected to do or know much of the physical limitations," Arthur said. He looked down at the gardens, deep in thought of his childhood. "We are only to read of it, admire others that can perform properly, and judge those that can't as if we were masters of the skill."

"Why?"

Arthur shrugged. Alfred kept silent when initially he wanted to say something crude. A few weeks ago he would have with no remorse. But his grip on his racist grudges was starting to dissipate the more he saw Arthur lose his. Beside, his remark would've undoubtedly broken this precious mood. Arthur's smile would've, again, hidden away.

"I can teach you," Alfred said instead. He smiled at Arthur, wondering if his own eyes were as light as Arthur's were. "To swim, that is. We'll practice early so no one will see you. I'm a good teacher."

Arthur bit his lower lip. "I'm not sure."

"C'mon!" Alfred whined. His casual tone startled Arthur. He had never been addressed so frankly, but he supposed it was common among friends. And they were friends now.

"Fine." Alfred celebrated with a fist pump into the air. "But only if you read ghost novels."

"What?" Alfred looked aghast.

Alfred's smile returned to his sly smirk, rather than his warm one from earlier. Alfred wanted it to melt into something real. "If you are to be a strong King, then you mustn't show fear, even of the invisible. I suggest you brush up on getting accustomed to ghosts."

Alfred huffed, knowing he had no choice if he were to help Arthur swim. For a time they bantered, shoved more, and laugh louder. Before long a warm glow had settled around them that the crisp evening air couldn't blow away.

When Alfred decided it was best to head down for dinner, the two headed towards the dark spiral staircase. There were no sconces for a torch and no windows lined the stairwell. The faint light from the lone window up in the room was not enough to light their way. Arthur used his magic while they walked. Alfred wondered what anyone would do to make fire without a mage around.

"Arthur?" Alfred asked quietly. Their close proximity made it easy to talk in hushed voices. "Thank you."

"What ever for?"

"…For everything."

Arthur glanced over his shoulder at the King. He seemed unsure if he should smile, as if he had forgotten how many times he had laughed a moment before. He shook his head. "You're impossible."

"You manage somehow."

Arthur stopped, and Alfred bumped into the back of him. He looked at him confused. Arthur turned sharply to stare at Alfred. "What…? What did you say?"

"What's wrong?"

Arthur blinked for a minute, thinking of what he should say, or if he should even say anything. He was certain Alfred would dismiss it. He shook his head and continued instead. "Nothing. Just a sense of… It's nothing."

Soon after the aeroplane incident, Alfred learned that he had fallen out of popularity with the public. They chastised him for endangering their Queen, seemingly forgetting that the King had just boosted the economy with his new financial rearranging. Arthur scoffed at how fickle the public was. He worried that perhaps Alfred would be upset by this turn of events, but he merely brushed it off with a shrug and a smile.

Yao, however, thought it was bad to have a low standing with the people when the Monarchy was so new. He drafted a plan to improve foreign relations by visiting the other Suits. Upon arrival, if all things went well with the Suits, Yao said they would go on a Spades tour, stopping at all of the other castles, resting at the Palace in time for Alfred's birthday. That would put the Family out of the kingdom for at least three months, and out of the Pearl Castle for another five.

"ALMOST A WHOLE YEAR?" Alfred exclaimed. He slammed his hands on the table, having just heard the news when he sat down for breakfast in the Meeting Room.

Beside him, Arthur didn't look all that pleased either. "Perhaps we can shorten it to just a few Counties? I'm sure our allowance won't allow for…for such an extravagant tour. The people might also think we're too frivolous."

"They might also think we are picking favorites if we don't visit all the Counties," Yao countered.

"Ah, but we can't!" Alfred interjected loudly. "Parliament will be back in calling in August. We have to be here to open it and then to close it. If we're out of Castle then we can't open."

Yao considered this for a time. "I suppose…"

"Let's wait until the tour with the other Suits is finished," Arthur said. He already sounded tired at the prospect of being away for four months.

Parliament was to close in a few short weeks, and with that, the Family was expected to draft up new laws that would be overseen in August, monitor the condition of the kingdom and foreign issues, and address anything during the off season. It was also a time the Family was allowed to go on vacations if they saw fit for the time.

Alfred had been desperately wanting some time off. They would only get three months, but now that was cut out completely. He was to constantly be working, improving relations, making deals with other Kings, and showing Spades' beneficial attributes.

Due to their high ranks, the Family knew of the other Royalties during their school days. Nevertheless, Yao thought it be imperative they brush up on the information of their first Suit they would visit; the Diamonds Kingdom.

Alfred didn't take to being cooped up inside all day, reading. It was fine when he was at Court and dealing with political issues because they only lasted for a few hours. But all day? This was torture. He complained often and his attention drifted, irritating Arthur. The Queen had become quite studious, rivaling Yao's own scholar-esque attitude he took on. Yao already knew everything due to his obsessive condition, so he took it on himself to teach the King and Queen.

Often he would scold Alfred, worried his friendship with the boy was being put to the test. Alfred's blatant defiance to learn and keep still had caused the Jack to storm from the room once or twice.

However they couldn't dally any longer. If they were to keep to schedule they had to leave whether Alfred was ready or not. Fearing the carriage ride would be a repeat of their last dreadful journey with the King, Arthur warned Alfred of a Silencing Spell he was not afraid to use. Yao and Arthur managed to spend a pleasant journey to the Diamonds Kingdom, even if Alfred pouted all the while.

Diamonds had been a long standing ally of Spades for many reigns. They were Spades' main kingdom of importing and exporting. Known for their wealth and fashion, the kingdom had prepared for the Family's arrival in a most flourish of manners. Canons arranged at attention exploded to announce their arrival. Streamers and banners of gold intertwined with blue had been hung around the kingdom's capital, Diamond. Confetti was tossed in the air as the citizens rushed out to the streets to see the new Spades Family.

Diamond seemed to be made of glow. The buildings were old, holding any other worldly charm to them, much unlike Spades that showcased more modern homes and the start of what many nicknamed "Star Reachers", exquisitely tall buildings that stretched up to the sky. It didn't seem the Diamonds Kingdom had begun utilizing steam powered vehicles like that in Spades, and for this, Arthur was grateful. He was beginning to hate the sound of the puttering mobiles that clanked loudly down the streets of Holland County.

As the Family reached the palace, nicknamed the Diamond Jubilee, Alfred stuck his head out the carriage window. He whistled his approval at the building. Even Arthur couldn't mask his impression either. The palace had many spires and enchanting towers speckled with colorful stained glass mosaics depicting the kingdom's history. It was white with a golden hue from the sun that illuminated it more than normal.

Upon arrival, doves were released into the sky. Alfred thought it spectacular, but Arthur found it tacky, complaining only so his companions could hear him. To great them at the stairway entry was the Ace of Diamonds.

A tall man, much like Morgens was, but with a much less stern appearance to him. He smiled widely with bright blue eyes. His hair was a fair blonde, but of an odd style. It was swept off to the side with a small cap teetering on the crown of his head. He held a large axe laced with the Diamonds symbol. He bowed fluidly despite his height, and when he spoke, it was with a thick northern accent.

"Your Royal Highnesses, welcome to the Kingdom of Diamonds," the Ace said. "I am Dan of Denmark County, the Ace of Diamonds. I shall escort you to the Throne Room to meet with the Royals of Diamonds."

Dan turned, his axe still in tow, and headed inside. The Spades Family followed, subtly admiring every detail of the palace. Inside, Jubilee was marvelous. Diamond chandeliers hung from the vaulted ceilings. Small diamond flakes adorned the marble walls with old paintings from famous painters decorating various parts of the Entryway.

"They sure know how to make an impression," Alfred commented. Unlike his counterparts, he held nothing back in his gawking at the décor. He wondered how anyone was capable of coming into such wealth. He thought back to how financially stunted spades was in comparison, and this made him nervous. He was only grateful that Diamonds was their ally.

"It's all for show," Yao mumbled from Alfred's left. "Diamonds is having as hard a financial crisis as we are."

"Too bad modesty eludes them," Arthur scoffed. Alfred wondered why Arthur was so against Diamonds when they hadn't been in the kingdom for more than ten minutes. Then he thought back to their first dealings with their King.

King Francis, the peacock as Arthur later nicknamed him, had flirted heavily with Arthur after confusing him for a female, much to Arthur's chagrin. He had done the same to Yao and made a poor first impression. Alfred, however, really thought Francis to be nice. During the remainder of the Coronation Ball he had managed to start up a few casual conversations with the King and found he was a rather loose fellow, preferring to be called Francis rather than You Highness or any of that nonsense Alfred hated too.

During their review, Arthur always criticized most of the actions of the King, much more harshly than the others. Alfred had said a few snide remarks about the way Clubs and Hearts handled a few choice actions of the past, but he never thought that the Kings of present were to blame. Why Arthur was so biased against Diamonds he supposed he'd never know.

The Throne Room could be summed up in one word: flowers. There were flowers hanging from the arched ceilings, arranged delicately in vases that lined the walkway, and had been painted into the walls themselves. At the far end of the room, much like their own Throne Room, were the thrones with the Royal Family sitting in wait. Upon seeing the Spades Family, they rose in unison, so used to living together already.

Alfred hoped one day he and Arthur and Yao could be that unified.

The trio swept into a polite bow in acknowledgement to the host Family, not bending at the waist, but a bow nonetheless. Francis smiled, holding out his hands as if to hug them.

"Ah! Welcome my friends!" Francis said with his flowing accent. Alfred later found it he was from the France County. Once, his father had returned from that county with wine and cheese. Alfred secretly wished he could ask the King for a sample from his home county. "Do you like the flowers our Queen picked for your arrival?"

"Yes," Alfred replied for the others. "It looks beautiful. Really livens the place up. Not that it needs to be livened up! I mean, it just brings about a sense of fresh beauty to the palace. Not that it's not beautiful! This is seriously the most beautiful palace I've been too! Well, next to ours, but you know what I mean! Right?"

The Jack Vash looked as aggravated as Arthur and Yao were beside him. But Francis and Lily were giggling, obviously unphased by Alfred's rambling. Chairs were brought in and the Spades Family was offered to sit. It was a little strange, Alfred thought.

He had been told that when a visiting Family came they were to go to the Meeting Room for privacy and eloquence. To just sit on regular chairs facing the Diamonds Family was almost too informal, even for him. But maybe that was Arthur rubbing off on him.

Speaking of the Queen, he seemed perfectly fine. His expression was stoic as he talked pleasantries with the Queen and Jack. Francis merely listened, which probably explained why Arthur seemed so subdued. Oh how Alfred hoped this wouldn't get out of hand and somehow result in a war because his Queen hated the King for no reason other than his French nature.

After a time, the Spades Family were shown to their quarters. They would have some time to rest before dinner and the evening entertainment. Yao was shown his apartments first, giving a quick glance at Alfred and Arthur as if to warn them not to mess anything up during his absence.

The servant that showed them the way stopped at a large wooden door. "This is where you shall stay, Your Majesties."

Arthur nodded, but then furrowed his brows. "I'm sorry, did you mean that to say the _both_ of us?"

The servant nodded. "Yes, Sire. In Diamonds the King and Queen are to sleep in the same chambers. Even King France and Queen Lily do so."

"Wh-what?" Alfred stuttered. He looked at the door in horror, thinking that it was some trap instead of a bedroom. "But! But she's younger than me! How can she sleep in the same room as _him_?"

The servant looked a little offended at Alfred's tone, but said nothing of it. "They have separate beds, Sire. But now is not the time to sleep. It is just resting, yes? I'm sure you will find your quarters quite satisfactory."

With a polite bow, the servant took his leave. Alfred and Arthur were a bit surprised as they were supposed to be shown inside and then dismiss him when they pleased, but Alfred supposed his offensive tone had angered him enough to leave. It took a moment, but then they pushed ahead and Arthur entered despite the stammer in his heart.

The room was rather simple compared to the rest of how the palace had been. It wasn't quite as gold, much to Arthur's relief as he felt a headache coming on from how bright the kingdom was. The plush throws looked comfortable enough, and the household had been kind enough to decorate the room with purple and blue. Even a painting of the previous King of Diamonds meeting with the late King Philip had been hung over the fireplace.

Alfred took a spot on the chair facing the fireplace with a loud sigh. He put his hands behind his head, not caring to acknowledge there was another room. Arthur felt it was best to do the same, so he took a seat at the chair that overlooked the gardens.

While neither were upset at each other, neither one felt the need to make for conversation. They were actually enjoying just being alone and quiet. It was a pleasantly surprising change of pace.

When the sun set the Spades Family was called to the Dining Hall for dinner and the kingdom's entertainment. Yao had offered to have a member of the Family perform for Diamonds as a show of gratitude for their gracious welcome to their stay for the next few weeks.

Seeing as Arthur was the most well versed in entertainment, he volunteered, but didn't say what exactly he would do. Alfred secretly hoped it was something with magic. Ever since he had caught him practicing once before his declaration about the fake plague, he hadn't seen Arthur perform once. He crept down to the basements in hopes of catching him, but Arthur must have set up spells to alert him ahead of time, for he would always stop just as Alfred opened the door.

Arthur produced a violin case, and Alfred's excitement fell. He played with his food as dinner passed, uneventful, and then they were shown a small side room. It was just the Family and they sat on plush couches, facing Arthur as he set up his performance. Between the couches were small side tables with plates of cookies and candies. Alfred kept stealing some, gobbling them up before Yao or Lily could. Vash and Francis seemed to miss them completely, chatting with each other.

Finally, Arthur was ready. He held his violin at the ready, and a hush fell over the group. Alfred didn't care much for the arts, especially classical music. He was more for the upbeat popular songs that came about with the younger generation. But he supposed he could pay attention to it for just tonight if Arthur was playing.

"As a special treat for our wonderful hosts," Arthur began, his voice sounding less of emotion and more of well versed practice. "The Family of Spades wish to present to you our heartfelt thanks through music. I know Spades is not often thought of to be a musically talented kingdom like Hearts, but we felt it best as music is universal. Um… I apologize in advance; I am quite rusty."

Lily and Francis chuckled politely while Vash remained quiet. Alfred popped another candy into his mouth, wondering how long Arthur had been learning music. Since he was a child? That seemed to fit a Number like him. Ones were never allowed to learn music, so he couldn't even grasp an image in his head of what it would've looked like in Arthur's childhood.

He couldn't imagine most of Arthur's childhood, actually. And somehow, this bothered him more than Francis kissing the Queen's hand.

Arthur lifted the violin to rest under his chin, his bow poised just above the strings. The room fell silent once more. Then, Arthur began to play.

It wasn't slow like Arthur feared it would be, but fast. And powerful, if Alfred could describe a song. He never had before, but Arthur's choice in music had caused him to actually think of music. He scooted forward in his chair, leaning over so his elbows were propped up by his knees.

The Diamonds Family were enthralled as well. Francis let a long, wry smile cross his face and Lilly's eyes sparkled in enthusiasm. Vash actually showed interest, relaxing to the staccato notes rushing about in the air. Had there been an orchestra behind Arthur, the song would've made for a very wonderful dance, perhaps edging on modern.

Arthur's eyes were closed during his performance. He bent backwards just a bit as he sped up, only to slow down, bending forwards and biting his lip. His brow creased as he poured more soul into the music, his bow crossing the strings in such a rapid and hurried pace that Alfred was amazed one of the strings didn't just snap from the pressure.

Somehow, during the performance, Alfred felt eyes on him. He glanced over at Yao, but didn't see him looking away from Arthur. He was just smiling and watching like everyone else. Looking the other way, however, Alfred's eyes met with Francis'. His smile had changed to a devious smile. He looked away calmly, focusing back on Arthur.

And with a last swipe of his bow, the song was over. Arthur opened his eyes and breathed out, dropping his hands to his sides. Lily jumped up and began clapping furiously, enough to make Arthur blush and bow awkwardly. Yao was clapping as well, standing to welcome Arthur to sit back beside him. Alfred, however, couldn't clap. He was, to put it lightly, enthralled.

It didn't seem Alfred could take his eyes off of Arthur for the remainder of the evening.

A servant showed the Spades Family to their apartments. Yao bowed and mumbled a sleepy good night, turning to enter his room. The servant paused at a large and ornate door to motion for Arthur to go inside. The King and Queen entered together, still uncomfortable with the idea they would have to share the same quarters. They only hoped it would be separate beds.

In the center of the room were Tolys and Long. They both bowed and welcomed their monarchs; a welcome relief from the Diamond servants.

"Oh man, Tolys. I'm _so_ happy to see you," Alfred said after the doors had closed. He rushed to his servant and gave him a friendly clap on the back. "Tell me there are two beds."

Arthur was heard grunting in displeasure behind him. "You sound so eager to not share a bed with me."

"And you want to?" Alfred asked a little too quickly and with a high-pitched voice.

Arthur flushed and moved away to the dressing room. He wanted to change out of his royal garbs and into his sleeping robes quickly. Normally he would've been in his undergarments, but seeing as he would now have to share a room with the King, he didn't feel quite comfortable with the idea, no matter how close of friends they had become.

Tolys smiled sadly and shook his head, "I'm afraid not, Alfred. There is just one. But it is a King-sized. There is enough room."

"Well…that'll work, I guess."

After some time and a nice respite of tea, the duo moved to the bedroom. The bedroom was much more extravagant than the antechambers. The four-poster King-sized bed was in the center of the room, not even back against the wall. A lacey curtain had been pulled across the four sides with a beautiful golden duvet dipping down to pool on the stone floors like liquid gold.

Alfred's heart caught in his throat. It was more suited for lovers than a pair of friends.

"Wow," Alfred commented. "This…sure is nice."

Arthur clicked his tongue on the roof of his mouth in disapproval, grunting again as he moved towards his side of the bed. Arthur noted that it was the opposite of his, but he tried not to think much more on it. He de-robed and climbed into bed. The bed didn't even dip beside him as Arthur joined him. Their servants fixing the bed so it didn't bunch or fall off during the night. Then, they extinguished the candles and took their leave.

It was a horrible vacuum of silence then.

Alfred stared at the ceiling with his fists curling on the blanket. He wanted to speak or cough or even just let out a sigh, if only to get Arthur to not think this was as uncomfortable as Alfred was making it out to be. The stress of the situation made his back tense up, so he became to flop about from his right side to his left and then back onto his back. Beside him, Arthur could be heard exhaling, frustrated once more.

"What in heaven's name are you doing?" he asked sharply.

"This bed isn't mine," Alfred groaned. "It's not comfortable. I hate sleeping in new beds!"

"Well, get over it. We have a long day ahead of us. Much…political nonsense and elbow rubbing and then sight-seeing." Arthur didn't sound pleased, and he turned on his right side. He didn't look at Alfred, but rather at the bed. His expression wasn't sour, but rather sad.

Alfred regarded him for a moment before turning to his left side completely. "How long you been playing the violin?"

"Since I was a child," Arthur replied casually. "Twos are required to learn music."

"What if they can't?" Alfred asked.

"You had better. Depending on the family, you may be beaten until you can play _any _instrument. Music is a sign of civilized people. Twos are meant to keep this example going strong, even when young."

Alfred made a strained face, frowning at Arthur. "Were you beaten?"

"Luckily I was very inclined with the violin, so no. Not for my music classes."

"Were you for other things?"

Arthur chuckled and finally looked up at Alfred. "Why the sudden interest in my upbringing? Surely it is not something interesting enough to warrant all of these questions."

Alfred shrugged off his nerves and smiled. "I dunno. We're friends now. Why shouldn't we ask the other about their pasts?"

Arthur seemed to be thinking this over, and he turned to lie on his back. He stared up at the ceiling, his eyes looking past the stone and off to somewhere else. When he spoke, he sounded quiet. Alfred didn't get the impression he was sad about his childhood, but perhaps, just a little jealous.

"I was raised by tutors and nannies, like most, if not all, Twos. My brothers and I were lectured in the arts, the history, English and foreign language, and eventually, when our talents began to shine through, we were to focus more upon those so our qualities developed into something profitable. My parents were strict, but kind. They oversaw my education and gave me the best money could by, especially of our stature. The Kirkland name is high-standing, but it isn't the best.

"When my magical prowess began to be more than just a fluke, my family was surprised. A mage in the Kirkland family hasn't appeared in well over five generations. My tutor, with the encouragement of my father, placed me in the training of Queen Holly, and soon I was taken in under her. I moved to the America castle when I was but eight years old."

"Wait," Alfred said suddenly. "You mean to say…you've been apart from your family all this time?"

Arthur turned and smiled softly. "Yes. It does seem odd, but I assure you this is not uncommon among mages. Twos especially experience a lack of…well… how is it called among the lower Numbers? A nuclear family? We don't really have that sense of… family ties."

"Do you hate that?" Alfred asked. Arthur raised an eyebrow at him. "I mean, do you wish you had all been closer?"

Arthur shrugged, much like Alfred had when he first proposed the initial question. "I never had any other lifestyle. I cannot see it any other way. It is how it is."

"…You didn't answer my question," Alfred said slowly.

Arthur looked past Alfred. Now he looked sad, but the flash was gone from his eyes, and he was looking back at Alfred stoically. "No. I'm fine with the way things are."

The two were silent for a time. Then, Alfred shifted towards Arthur just a little bit more.

"Sometimes I wish that my dad was home more often. I only saw my father whenever the Family was in residence."

"Queen Holly did love to travel quite often between the Capital and America County, and as an Ace, your father would have to accompany the Family. I can see why that would be a problem."

Alfred nodded. "Yeah, but when he was home, he always taught me a new technique. Or something he had learned from another county. It was nice, but… I didn't want an education in fighting or whatever. I wanted my dad. All kids do, really."

He stared at Arthur as he spoke; trying to make sure the Queen didn't look away. But the man grew a little nervous, and he eventually evaded his eyes.

"I think it best we sleep," he said at length.

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><p><em>Hoshiko2<em>'s cents: Originally was going to be a little bit longer, but then it would seem _too_ long! Haha. And I didn't want to split this up because this is the last "boring" chapter. There will be off-shots of their time in the other kingdoms later on in the future, so I hope you look for them. Also, I apologize for the long drought between updates, but I was participating in the USUK Livejournal community Sweethearts Week. All of my submissions are here, so I hope you find the time to go back and read them and enjoy them.

Prepare for more action from here on out. That, and more romance. ;3


	9. Act 1 Part 9

_A/N:_ Please note that I make references to side stories. They are not yet published, but I will make announcements in future chapters when they are.

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><p>The Spades Family's arrival back in their kingdom was a warm reception indeed. News of their efforts in the kingdoms traveled far and traveled fast, and many of the politicians sung of their deeds. Especially the stories from Clubs, the kingdom with the most damaged relationship, were ones of most interest. King Alfred's friendship that he had formed between King Ivan's greatly strengthened the connection between the two. Not only that, but the secretive friendship between Alfred and Queen Kiku of Hearts spurred a juicy gossip of forbidden love.<p>

Arthur didn't take kindly to these rumors, stomping them quickly with a sharp, "They are _just friends_", but to no avail. The kingdom wanted gossip with the new Family. They would get it, even if it they were lies.

The seasons changed to early summer, and with it came the preparations for Alfred's birthday. He wanted a grand affair, and demanded that the ceremony be held in his County. There was an initial outcry from the people of Holland County, wishing to celebrate the occasion with their Family in residence. But Alfred wouldn't listen to any reason from either the Lords or his people. He wanted to go home.

In the following months, Yao found himself wrapped up in a real affair, one that was falling on deaf ears and only spread amongst the servants and maids. He would wander about the castle, nose in another scroll that he eagerly gobbled up in his insatiable mind, when he'd hear Alfred call out in excitement. The first few times this happened Yao would think it was the King calling for him, but each time he lifted his head he would see quite a surprising scene indeed.

Alfred would abandon whoever he was with, a Lord or a servant, and rush to Arthur's side who would more than likely be walking the opposite direction. He'd dismiss anyone else and wrap himself up in Arthur's attention, smiling brightly and asking him about the simplest of things, never on anything he was doing at the moment. Just a simple, "How are you?", "Had a good day?", and "Had lunch yet?"

Through the grape-vine Yao learned that the King and Queen were sneaking off to be alone together every Friday afternoon. To where, no one knew, but all of the servants knew to avoid the back staircase leading to the Queen's quarters around two in the afternoon, promising to not tell a soul. Then, magically, the couple would appear just before dinner in greater spirits than when Yao had last seen them.

The man wasn't jealous; he didn't have time for such a thing. It was more likely he was just stressed that the news would leak out and the people would start rumors of the two sharing in some sort of romance. Not that Yao much cared if it were true or not, but he preferred they remain close friends rather than becoming uncomfortable around each other and started bickering again. He couldn't take all those mornings when they would argue about anything, even, _butter_.

However, there was an inkling of a worry. If the two were becoming romantically involved, he didn't even want to think about there being some heartbreak. The monarchy was still new. It couldn't afford to deal with drama of the heart to become intricately involved. He only hoped it was just an infatuation that Alfred or Arthur, or both, would outgrow once they were seen more at Court and attended more balls, thereby flirting with more ladies of Court.

Alfred and Arthur were oblivious to their own actions, instead focusing on diving headfirst into their responsibilities, despite their initial reluctance to them at first. Alfred was taking a great interest more and more in Number equality; something Yao would often remind him to not get too deep so early on. People were already labeling him a liberal. It wasn't good to already have such a stereotype imposed on him so soon. He wouldn't get enough support if the Lords or the people didn't like him.

On the other hand, Arthur was showing a surprising amount of enthusiasm for most of Alfred's plans. It was a rare occasion when he would object to them, delving into a political argument with the King that only lasted as long as the two were in meeting with Parliament. Once free from the hall, they would return to being friends. An unspoken agreement of no talking about work after hours had been decided between them.

Towards the last few weeks of June, Alfred declared a joust as a pre-ceremony to his birthday, and as an apology to the Holland County for not having his birthday celebration held in residence. The citizens were very receptive to this announcement, and anticipated it with much fever. Numbers from other Counties came in droves to the competition. When asked if he would personally participate, Alfred said, "Only with my Ace."

Morgens took it upon himself to personally train the King. While Alfred was already at a high Knight level in his fighting, Morgens commented on his poor lack of defense. They spent many afternoons and a few early mornings training, much to the pleasure of the maids who clamored around the windows to watch.

At first, Alfred worried his sudden strength might get in the way as he hadn't fully mastered the skill when his mind wasn't completely focused on keeping it at bay. But he managed quite well after a few practices, and soon he was able to fight without worry of hurting his opponent.

One morning, the maids were giggling around a window near the kitchens. Arthur wasn't one to stagger down to the lower quarters, but he couldn't find Yao and thought that maybe the Jack had snuck off to make something in the kitchens. Upon seeing the gaggling girls, he shooed them away to do their duties. They hovered around the Queen when they noticed he had caught sight of the battling King.

By the afternoon, word had engulfed the castle that Queen Arthur had been caught not only staring at Alfred, but that he blushed and tripped over his coat tails when he turned to stomp off down the hallway. Arthur ignored all of it with a firm jaw and a furrowed brow.

The jousting event began on Sunday and was to last for three days, with the final day being the fight between the Ace and the King. The Numbers filled the stadium with a loud clamor, the Lords of Parliament given their own viewing booth, and, of course, the Family to be raised above all else to watch with an unhindered view.

Alfred was like a child as he watched the many Knights come tromping through the land, their shinning armors and helmets the same images he had grown up with. Memories of his childhood resurfaced and he felt his father's presence with every bow from a Knight about to battle. He applauded vigorously, jumping up and down and crying out in delight when a Knight he favored won, or gasping in surprise when one was thrown from his horse.

Arthur and Yao enjoyed the event as well, just not nearly as much as Alfred did. They were polite and clapped, nodding their heads to the Knights and offering kind praises. Arthur found himself in a rather embarrassing situation when a Knight from a far flung County presented themselves before the Family, only to toss Arthur a rose.

He caught it with a bright face, looking around at the people who yelled in excitement. He pointedly ignored the stare of Alfred beside him. He just lay the rose to rest on his lap as the match unfolded before them. At the end of the battle the Knight removed their helmet and let out long locks of brown hair. The Knight was a woman, much to the surprise of the citizens, Arthur especially.

Standing at the edge of the booth, he kissed the rose and tossed it back to the Knight. She caught it with enthusiasm and placed it in her hair, behind her ear. For the remainder of the event it was said that Arthur received roses from this female Knight, though he denied it and claimed that the woman never pursued her affections for him after the fight.

It was the final day, and the tournament was coming to a close. It seemed there were more Numbers on the final day than any of the previous ones with all of them knowing exactly the reason why. Ace Morgens and King Alfred were to duel.

Arthur was watching apprehensively. Only Yao was able to catch on to this as Arthur was a perfect actor in his royal waves and polite smiles. Being a Two, one would hope he could manage such a thing as hiding his own feelings.

Morgens appeared on the field, his armor a brilliant black. Unlike the other Knights, the Ace of Spades was to wear black, reflecting perfectly the horrific name his title carried; "The Card of Death". Over his shoulder was the axe he was to use. It was an ancient weapon that had been refined through the years, never dulling and always kept up with the utmost care. It rarely saw action as most of the earlier Aces used it for show rather than fighting; only coming into play four reigns ago by the Ace of Spades from Canada during a skirmish in the Korea Counties.

Alfred's father regularly used the weapon during the infamous war that would eventually claim his life.

Opposite the field was the King. The Numbers rose to their feet and cheered his arrival. He was dressed in his blue armor, his helmet with a gold band on the crown of his head. It was the only way to signify he was the King and not a normal Knight. Long ago the Spades had changed the King's armor to look like that of any Knight as a way to protect him in times of battle. At his side was the great Sword of Spades, another weapon that was rarely used and was more for show. Although it appeared in almost every painting of the previous Kings of Spades, few ever actually held the weapon. Nevertheless, it was in pristine condition.

The opponents faced each other, bowed, and then turned to regard the Family. Arthur, standing in for Alfred to start the battle, lifted a hand as the signal, when somehow, his handkerchief slipped free and fluttered to the ground. He stared in shock, not even reaching to grab it in midair.

Alfred reached out and caught it before it hit the ground. He looked up at Arthur in mute confusion. The crowd watched in hushed anticipation. Yao was the only one to make a sound, and it was a groan. Now the servants would see no reason to keep the little affair a secret.

The King bowed to the Queen and stuffed the fabric into a small opening on his underarm. Morgens and him faced off, and the battle was to begin. The Ace charged the King, swinging his axe down towards his head for a deadly blow, but the King countered this with a firm block of his sword above him, and then used the Ace's weight against him by pushing forward slightly only to step to the side so that the Ace would stumble forwards.

The crowd cheered them on, forgetting temporarily that the Queen had made a rather intimate gesture with his handkerchief. He sat beside Yao with a flushed face, refusing to acknowledge the moment had even occurred. Yao said nothing.

Underneath the stadium were two beings not of the kingdom, but not of any kingdom really. They hovered in wait, lurking to their hearts content, and counting down the minutes until they could react.

_Now?_

_Just a minute._

_C'mon! I wanna do it!_

_Wait! This is test, not a game._

_But you know it's a game as much as I do. Everyone is waiting. We have to see-_

_I know why we're here, Peter. Now shut up. Let's get this going._

_Yay!_

The smaller boy dropped down to the grass and picked a dandelion. A swirl of colors rose around the little weed, making it float in the air until it began to grow. In a matter of moments the creature changed shape to become a Gollum giant. Its head was large and square, sitting on thick shoulders of pure clay muscles. Large fangs protruded from its lower lips looking more like an elephant's tusks, and the weight of them caused the beast to bend forward so it walked on its hands and feet.

Peter's eyes flashed as he replaced his "despair" mask over his face. Then, he sniggered and fled to the shadows after the older man. The flash was a spell that shocked the Gollum, angering him and strapping an idea to his mind.

_Kill the King of Spades_

The Gollum tore through the stands, sending people crying out as they were flung mercilessly through the air. But the Gollum wasn't intent on attacking any Number other than the King.

Morgens, who had seen the commotion behind Alfred, jumped back in alarm. He pointed at the creature, and the King turned around. He yelped in surprise, and in seconds the Ace and Knights had leapt before him.

"PROTECT THE KING!" Morgens shouted as he rushed the Gollum.

Arthur and Yao stood from their seats, watching in horror as the Knights all fought to protect Alfred. The Gollum dipped its head down and charged through them, his tusks knocking the men to the side as their weapons proved useless to pierce through its hard clay skin.

"Alfred!" Arthur yelled. He wanted to rush down and help, but the Knights that weren't down below had crowded into the Royal booth to protect the Jack and Queen.

The King shot a glance at Arthur, and then returned his attention to Morgens. He was the last one standing, and he held his axe up high. That was the signal it was the Death Blow; the Ace of Spades' final and most deadly move that drew from ancient magic welded into the weapon said to have been placed there from the first Queen of Spades. The name of the attack was the literal meaning of its affect.

He crushed the axe against the side of the Gollum's skull, and the creature stopped momentarily. The remaining spectators cheered, hoping for the best. Morgens stayed still, not even breathing, until he withdrew the axe from its skull and stood back.

The Gollum let out an ear splitting shriek, and then began to thrash about. It head butted Morgens, sending him crashing into the stands. That left Alfred wide open.

"Alfred! Run!" Arthur shouted.

Alfred stumbled back a few paces as the Gollum zeroed in on him. It realized that its path was free now to attack the King, and it charged him once again. Time seemed to slow down. The people screamed and began to flee, Arthur continued to shout, and Alfred's heart jumped to his ears. And in his head he heard his father whisper to him.

"_Never be afraid of someone larger than you. The bigger they are, the harder they fall. Just keep your wits about you, and find their weakness."_

Alfred inhaled sharply and knocked back down his helmet's visor. He held his sword above his head and rushed to meet the Gollum head-on. At the last moment, he slid underneath the beast, his armor clanking as it hit the tusks of it. The Gollum ran right over him, its feet and hands missing him completely. Alfred scrambled back up, and turned to chase the beast before it careened into the stands where people were still rushing to get out.

He jumped on its back, and the Gollum stopped short. It started to buck and thrash about like a wild bull, shaking its head and roaring into the air. Alfred managed to stay atop it by clinging to its sides, his sword barely staying in his hands all the while.

The Gollum moved and began to hit its back against the stands, hoping to dislodged Alfred or knock him out. But Alfred was quick to catch on, and he clamored up its back until he was sitting atop its massive head. The Gollum reached up with its large hands and tried to swat Alfred off as if he were a fly.

Alfred was hit in the back, and he yelped as he flew to the ground, hitting it hard and rolling until he was on his back. He looked up and saw the Gollum regaining its balance. It was coming at him again. Alfred turned around and got to his knees, holding up the sword. The Gollum hit him, but the sword of Spades actually managed to sink its blade through its skin.

The Gollum reared back and yelled again. It hit Alfred with its tusks, sending him sprawling clear across the field. But he got back up and held his sword at the ready. The sword started to vibrate, and a green glow encased it. Alfred's arms shook as he was barely able to keep hold of it. He looked at the sword, and then at the Gollum, and the next thing he knew, the sword flew from his hands and right into the Gollum's head, embedding itself into its forehead.

The beast stopped running, its legs giving out beneath him, and he slid across the grass, stopping just shy of Alfred's feet. The air was quiet, but then it erupted into cheers.

Alfred lifted his visor and waved to the crowd, showing he was all right despite his shaking knees and throbbing headache. Then he looked over at the Royal booth. Yao looked as if he had fainted multiple times, if he hadn't already suffered from a heart attack. And there was Arthur. He was standing with a hand outreached towards Alfred. His eyes had been glowing, but dimmed back to their original green. He was looking at Alfred firmly, not at all pleased with what happened.

* * *

><p>Alfred lied in his bed. The castle physician had already attended to him, but left him in the hands of Arthur. The Queen claimed he knew of a few healing spells that could help with the bruises. Yao had excused himself to make up an old recipe he knew to cure Alfred's migraine.<p>

Arthur was currently tending to Alfred's hands that had been burned slightly, a side effect of Arthur's spell he had placed on the sword. He felt it his personal responsibility to heal them. All the while, Alfred had remained quiet, just watching Arthur work.

"Where do you think that thing came from?" Alfred asked suddenly.

"I don't care," Arthur said after a click of his tongue to the roof of his mouth in disapproval. "I'm just glad it's dead. And you should have run away like I told you."

"Why?" Alfred sighed. He had already fought with Arthur about this when he was taken back to the castle. First, Yao had jumped on his case, and now Arthur was reeling in for a second round. "I told you, that thing was dead set on killing me. If I ran, he could have endangered more people. He had already destroyed half of the stadium and knocked out all of my Knights, not to mention almost kill my Ace."

"The kingdom would've understood!" Arthur argued.

"Oh sure. Innocent people die so their king could be labeled a coward. I don't think so." Alfred put a hand atop Arthur's, noticing then that Arthur wasn't looking at him. "Arthur, this isn't about my keeping face. It was about doing the right thing… That monster was going to hurt people because it only wanted me. It was best I either kill it…or be killed."

Arthur snapped his head up, and looked ready to slap Alfred across the face. He clenched his fists and bit down on his lower lip to stop himself from exploding in anger. Then, he calmly said, "I don't think…the kingdom would want you to die."

Alfred shrugged. "They can get another king."

"You say that so bloody easily," Arthur snapped. "I don't like hearing you say that. You are not someone we can easily replace…"

Alfred paused, and then he smiled. "We…or you….?"

Arthur met his gaze, and their faces started to blossom into red. Alfred felt his hands grow a little clammy, and in that moment he leaned forward and kissed Arthur's cheek.

The Queen was frozen in place, unable to even move back or snatch his hands away. He stared at Alfred, unsure of how to react. His eyes searched Alfred's, and then he leaned forward to return the kiss to Alfred's cheek.

Yao then burst into the room, and the men abruptly broke apart. "Aiyah! This new reign has so much bad luck! Bad omens everywhere!"

"Yao, calm down," Alfred started. He took the bowl that was thrust in his face and grimaced at the brown liquid that stared back at him. "I'm sure it's all fine."

"It is NOT fine!" Yao yelled. He flung his hands everywhere as he began to pace about the bedroom. "That Gollum was unnatural. Creatures like that just _do not_ suddenly appear! Someone had to have made it!"

"Someone of impressive magical ability," Arthur said. He had returned to healing Alfred's hands, pointedly not meeting Alfred's gaze that he knew was fixed on him. "A Gollum not only takes strong magic to start it, but to put a fixed idea in its head and concentrate on that same idea so it stays within the mind of a Gollum… Well, I can't imagine-"

Yao interrupted, "What do you mean concentrate on the same idea?"

Arthur looked over and explained, "To make a Gollum requires great magical talent. But then it normally just moves about on its own. If one were to control it through a fixed idea or another spell to control its movement takes a great deal of concentration from the creator. This is especially difficult if the creator is weak or distracted."

"So you don't think they were there in the stands?" Yao asked. He was pacing again with his hands behind his back and his head bent low. "Do you know of anyone who is of a rival in magical ability?"

"To the Queen of Spades? No, I don't think so…" Arthur trailed off and looked out the window. The curtains had been pulled and the sunlight poured into the room. There was a light breeze that wafted the curtains so it billowed out in the air. Then, "There is a myth of some beings called Jokers."

"Jokers?" Alfred asked. He winced as a particularly nasty burn healed. "What are Jokers?"

"Mythological beings that are not here nor anywhere," Yao started. "They live in a realm with no laws, not even ones of physics, and can move about with ease in our world. They are said to have amazing magical abilities that outrank even Arthur's ability."

"What? Impossible!" Alfred cried. He looked at Arthur. "No one can beat Artie!"

Arthur blushed at the nickname. "Well, that's why I said it's only a myth. No one has ever physically seen these beings and it's only been reported in old folklores."

"So what? You still think fairies and unicorns are real despite all proof saying they _aren't_," Alfred teased. He stuck his tongue out at Arthur.

Arthur simply used his magic to shock Alfred. He smiled as he saw the King yelp.

"No… I think you're onto something," Yao mused suddenly. "I'll have to read further into it."

And he rushed from the room. Alfred sighed, and placed the bowl he had still been holding to the side. But then he realized he was still stuck in the same predicament from earlier. He was alone with Arthur. And they had just shared a kiss on the cheeks. Granted it could be inferred as friendly, but the two didn't even hug their friends, let alone kiss them.

So what did this mean?

They remained quiet for a bit after that, and Arthur excused himself saying he had to rest. The incident from earlier had startled him so much that it drained all of his stamina. But Alfred stopped him before he could reach the door.

"Your Highness, I believe you gave me something I must return." Alfred held out the handkerchief that had slipped from Arthur's sleeve by mistake.

Arthur looked over his shoulder, but quickly turned away at the sight of his laced handkerchief. If he took it back, it would smell of Alfred and he'd probably never get the scent out no matter how much he washed it. But if he let it stay with Alfred, there's no telling what the King would think it meant to him.

In the end, he chose to ignore the fact Alfred had even held it out to him. He took his leave and walked briskly back to his room. The servants later noted how red the Queen was and how happy the King remained the rest of the evening.

* * *

><p><em>Hoshiko2<em>'s cents: It's going to get crazy from here on out! ;3


	10. Act 1 Part 10

_A/N:_ This chapter was written while listening to "Forbidden Friendship" from _How to Train Your Dragon._

* * *

><p>News traveled far and wide of Alfred's heroic effort on the Gollum, and the other kingdoms sent their well wishes and congratulations. The King of Hearts even offered to have a joint jousting tournament between all the Suits to which Alfred enthusiastically agreed upon.<p>

But he had no time to really organize an event. His birthday was fast approaching, and the entire castle had to pack up to make the trek to the America County. The Holland County was still sour from having the ability to celebrate the King's birthday at their palace, but Alfred's deeds lessened their bitterness.

Surprisingly, this journey came without threatening Alfred to keep quiet. He was looking out the window, deep in thought. Yao shared his sentiments and was pouring over one of the many books he had brought along. Ever since there had been made mention of Jokers, Yao had thrown himself into reading more about their mythology, bothering Arthur with questions about what he knew, even if he knew very little.

Arthur was the only one bored. He had reread his magic book enough times to have all the spells down pat, but he was actually craving attention from Alfred. Ever since the night of the jousting failure and Alfred's near death, he had been torn between wanting to talk about the kiss, and not wanting to talk about the kiss. He just wanted to keep silent about the entire ordeal and wish that he got another one, but then promptly decided against it.

They were to reach America County by nightfall, the county staying up late to celebrate their arrival. The shops remained open and the citizens flocked the streets much like the Holland County citizens had done when they first arrived in Holland. The castle had been lit by magic users and technology, something the county was famous for.

Alfred nearly bounded from the carriage in excitement. He hadn't been back to America since he had been Counted and crowned. He was excited to see the familiar sites of the capital of America. The flawless transition between modern and traditional was what captured Alfred's heart and soothed him of his longing of home. He hadn't seen any other county have such a connection between the past and present besides Hearts' capital, though he heard the England County was a bit the same, though it teetered more on traditional than modern.

The castle of America was large and foreboding. It was built with little decoration in mind with sandy-colored stone blocks stacked up high, reaching into the sky with towers and watch guards at every which way. Built while tensions with Hearts and Clubs were high, the previous Family feared of going to war, which inevitably happened. So there wasn't nearly as much beauty to it as there was to Pearl. The poor castle was called the Castle, even lacking an imaginative nickname.

But the Family didn't spend much time admiring the cold interior. They went to their respective rooms and promptly fell asleep. It would be the oncoming week that would bring forth the most emotionally draining week of their reign.

The first day, Alfred was to be fitted for all of his royal outfits, and hated all of them. He didn't like being cooped up inside and complained often of how he wanted to get out and see his county, but the royal dressers forced him to stay inside. Eventually, Arthur was called in to oversee the progress, and that quieted the King down as now he had someone to talk to.

Finally, shortly before dinner, Alfred made up his mind on which attire to wear on his actual birthday. His outfit was of a simple blue jacket with coattails, much like his casual one, only it had a blue fur lined collar and golden buttons. He was to wear a muted purple tunic and brown pants with dress boots that had fur along the top rim as well.

Rumor had it the King only settled on his choice because the Queen greatly approved of it.

The second day, the approval of the meal was just as frustrating. Once again, Alfred wasn't to go outside, but he didn't seem to mind as much. He was in charge of choosing the meal selection for the reception, which meant he got to eat a lot. He invited Yao to cook the food and asked him to also try out all of the meals. In the end, they settled on a wonderful salmon dish, with salad and chicken as another option. Alfred demanded that Yao be in charge of the kitchen that night, which delighted Yao enough to the point he actually put his books down and began practicing with the chefs.

The third day was when Alfred and Arthur had dance lessons, much to their embarrassing chagrin. Ever since the Coronation celebration they hadn't had any time to get in more practice, and given that it was Alfred's birthday, it was customary for the King and Queen to dance again. Not only that, but Alfred desperately wanted a second shot at dancing with his Queen; this time without stepping on his toes.

Finally, the fourth day brought about a bit of a respite, and Alfred hid from servants and dance instructors and any chefs, including Yao. Instead he snuck down to the basement where he hoped Arthur was practicing magic.

There was a loud explosion, and Alfred rushed to the room where black smoke billowed out. He wrenched open the door and found Arthur standing in the middle of the room, sputtering and waving his hands to clear the air. His face was covered in soot and his clothes looked slightly singed. He dropped his shoulders and slapped his magic book to the ground. He collapsed to the floor, hands messing up the chalk magic circle he had drawn around himself. He was furious, but it ebbed away to sadness and he started to cry.

"A-Arthur?" Alfred tried.

Arthur gasped and snapped his entire body up. He wiped at his tears, smearing the soot on his face to reveal pink skin underneath. "Alfred? What're you…?"

"I heard the explosion and just…" He looked around at the room. Arthur's squire wasn't present, so Alfred came into the room. "Are you all right?"

"Perfectly fine," Arthur snapped, not meaning to sound so sharp.

"Oh, ok…" Alfred traced a hand along the books stacked on a table against the wall. "What were you trying to do?"

Arthur sighed and moved to grab a towel. He wiped the soot off of his face and rubbed it out of his hair. "An ancient spell. It's said to bring someone back from the dead. The first Queen of Spades created it, but I heard even she couldn't do this spell. The one that always eluded her, though I had no idea why she would have reason to…"

Alfred whistled. "Wow. There's such a spell? That's awesome."

He sat on a stool and clasped his hands in his lap, staring at Arthur. "Don't feel bad, though. If the first Queen couldn't do it and no one else after, then…"

Arthur sighed and dropped his head. "It's just strange. It seems the spell is missing something. I'm not sure what. But it just feels incomplete…"

"Well that's stupid. If the Queen made it, then why would she leave it incomplete? And how can you just not finish a part of a spell? That doesn't make sense."

Arthur chuckled. He tossed the towel away, and then used magic to fix his clothing. "It's not just that, though. It's another reminder of why I shouldn't be Queen."

"What? Whoa, wait. Time out." Alfred got up and strode to Arthur. He put his hands on his shoulders. "Just because you can't do _one_ spell doesn't make you terrible at magic. Weren't you Queen Holly's pupil? That must mean you're really good at magic, right?"

Arthur nibbled on his lower lip and averted his eyes. "Alfred… I… I lied. I was never that good at magic."

He turned his body away, and Alfred's hands slid off of his shoulders back to his side. He just stared at the back of his head.

"The others under Holly taunted and teased me to the point it could be considered bullying. And without anyone to stick up for me…" Arthur trailed off, a slight sob to his voice.

Alfred's instinct was to reach out and hold Arthur in an embrace, but then he thought that it would be overstepping his boundaries. Instead he thought back to when he first saw Arthur. The poor man was struggling with a tower of books stacked high, balancing precariously in his arms, while the other mages ignored him and walked ahead.

At first, Alfred had shrugged it off, but then the memory of Arthur telling him how he had been separated from his family at a young age came back and crippled his heart. He had no home support then, and he certainly had no friends to back him up. That left the man to become how he was, and suddenly Arthur made a little more sense to the King.

"Do you know why I refused to be Queen…?" Arthur murmured, his back to Alfred. Alfred was silent in reply. "Because I know now I can never find love…"

"What do you mean?" Alfred asked slowly, his heart beating hard in his chest.

"The women of court…will only care for me for my status. They will only see the Queen of Spades, not Arthur Kirkland." Arthur sighed, his shoulders slumping forward as if all the weight of the world sagged on his back.

Alfred grabbed Arthur's wrist then and tugged him out from the room. Arthur struggled and asked him what was going on, but Alfred kept quiet. He just kept walking.

On the first night in the castle, Alfred remarked about memories returning to him. His father would often bring him and Matthew to the castle to train with the other Knights. Often, Matthew and Alfred would just sneak off to find old hideaways, giggling as their father searched for them, only to find them under bushes or attempting to climb over walls. Arthur, too, knew the castle very well. There were times when the teasings got to be too much, and he stole away to secret areas to cry or be alone and practice his magic without haughty eyes watching him.

It was possible he and Alfred had met once when young, and the idea appeared in both of their minds.

Still, Alfred kept walking. The servants saw this act and began their whispers. But Alfred and Arthur suddenly vanished from the castle. Alfred knew of a hidden door in the side of the castle wall. He took Arthur through there, his hand still holding Arthur's wrist. Overtime, his hand slipped down and he was now holding his hand. Arthur didn't pull away and he had finally fallen silent. The sun had risen to full midday by now, and the two were starting to sweat from their heavy clothes.

After an hour of walking, the duo came to the edge of a small town that was only noticed by a small wooden sign that hung precariously on a post. It read "Virginia" and Arthur wondered where he had heard that name before.

The town was quaint, spacious, and very impoverished. The small cottages looked in dire need of repairs, and everyone was obviously a Ten, with a few scattered Sixes and Sevens and Eights passing through. Children wearing clothes that were obviously hand-me-downs or had to be lengthened over the years as the child grew taller played in fields of wheat and corn, holding yarn dolls that looked handmade. The men were already hard at work in the fields, although a few had come home for lunch, just now parting from their wives who saw them off from the doorways. The wives were household only women, teaching their daughters the ways to be a proper wife.

Arthur and Alfred were a hot spot the minute they stepped into the town with their fine cloth and air of importance. Not to mention, they were known as the King and Queen. The children ran up to them, bowing in exaggerated form, taking Alfred's hands to stare at how clean they were. They called his name in casual tones, asking how he'd been and how they missed him. Arthur was overwhelmed by the crowd they'd amassed, but laughed as the children continued to try and get a hand out to touch him, as if confirming he was real.

Parents rushed over to pull their children away, bowing and apologizing. One man pointed up towards a house at the bottom of a hill and said, "She's home."

Alfred grabbed Arthur's hand and stalked off towards the house. The small cabin was leaning to the side, the thatched roof in need of repair, and a far wall was held up by the support of a piece of tree wedged between the wall and the ground. In the front of the house was a middle-aged woman wearing a blue dress that seemed of slightly better quality than anyone's down in the village. She had a blue head wrap over her fair hair, and her apron was stained in odd food smears.

"Mother!" Alfred called, excited. Arthur turned to look at him. Of course, they were in America County. Alfred would want to come home.

The woman froze in the midst of hanging laundry on a line. She turned around, and dropped the clean clothes to the muddy ground.

"A…Alfred…?" she whispered as hands covered her mouth.

The King broke away from Arthur and jumped over the low wooden fence to rush to his mother, embracing her in a hug so tight he lifted her off the ground. The woman was laughing and crying, kissing Alfred's cheeks as if her life depended on it. Alfred was laughing and crying as well. He placed his mother back on the ground and wiped at his eyes.

His mother removed a small envelope from her breast pocket. "This is the letter you sent me. It just appeared on the table one day after the Counting. How ever did you send this to me?"

Alfred grinned. "Queen Holly used her magic to deliver it. …Oh!"

Suddenly remembering his own Queen, Alfred motioned for Arthur to come over. "Mother, this is my Queen, Arthur Kirkland. Arthur, this is my mother, Grace Jones."

The woman dusted at her skirts hastily before glancing at Arthur with a nervous smile. She curtseyed well enough in her hole-riddled moleskin shoes. She wore black tights under her dress, and those looked to have holes in them as well. Arthur bit his lower lip at seeing the woman in such shabby clothes, but there wasn't much he could do for her.

Instead he bowed and showered her in compliments. "Well now, Alfred didn't tell me he was raised by such a beautiful woman. You both share fair hair, but yours is far lovelier."

Alfred's mother blushed to her ears and began to flutter about on the spot. Alfred grinned at Arthur, and then watched his mother in amusement.

"Oh my goodness! You are so kind, Your Highness. Please!" She motioned to the house. "Won't you come in? I can make something for lunch. You both look hungry."

Alfred brightened and followed his mother inside, but not without taking hold of Arthur's hand once more. It suddenly hit Arthur that Alfred had called him "my Queen", and he started to flush. He looked around the lot to feign interest in the foliage.

The interior of the house was no better than the exterior. Inside, the rafters of the cottage were bare and buckling under much needed repair. The wall that was held up from the outside turned out to be the kitchen wall, the kitchen itself belonging to just one side of the house. Everything from the sitting room to the kitchen and dining area was open, with two doors off to the side. Arthur assumed that they were bedrooms, and that the family had to use the bathroom outside. The sitting room was quaint, and was able to seat Alfred and Arthur comfortable. Of the three chairs present, only one didn't wobble, and the other was the only one with a back. The other seat was practically unusable. They made the best of it. Alfred's mother was a kind host, and she made the best of what she had; which was really nothing.

Arthur felt uncomfortable being there. Not because of Alfred's mother or the house, but the fact he felt incredibly out of place. He had no connection to this house or this lifestyle. He was in expensive silk and wore layers of clothing, whereas Alfred's mother had clothing that had stitches in various places and probably didn't keep her warm during the harsh winters this particular area of America County was known for. And he had absolutely no idea how to talk to the woman without feeling he was unintentionally insulting her.

Most of the time he sat quietly, nodding along with Alfred and his mother's conversation, but he was thinking. Thinking of how he classified Alfred, and all Tens. Anyone lower than him. Alfred and his father were Ones and could've chosen to live a One lifestyle, despite the fact his mother and brother were Tens. And yet they chose to live this way instead. It boggled his mind.

Eventually, Alfred's brother came in from the fields. They looked a striking amount alike. Matthew was only a hair shorter than Alfred, and his muscles were more in his legs and back than shoulders and abs like Alfred was. Not that Arthur noticed such things.

"Mattie!" Alfred roared as he jumped up, tackling his younger brother.

The two wrestled on the floor, Alfred's mother laughing and saying, "It's just like old times". Arthur simply watched. His nerves were growing tighter by the moment. He smiled when someone looked his way, but otherwise he sat up straight, rigid, hands in his laps, and legs crossed in a perfectly royal fashion.

Matthew and Alfred were too identical for Arthur's taste. There had always been ruggedness to Alfred's body, but it seemed clean, as if his entire being was a rock in a garden that had been cared for since being placed there. Matthew, however, had a whole other sense to him, despite having such a similar face to Alfred. He was just like a boulder that had tumbled down a hill and landed right there in the sitting room. Arthur didn't want to pass judgment seeing as he felt he was finally starting to overcome his old racist habits, but he couldn't help the thoughts that seeped into his head about Alfred's family.

Alfred's younger brother was quieter, but much less careful in how he moved his body. Alfred, since becoming the King, had to learn that his movements could potentially break a door or a table on accident, so he was always on guard with where he laid his hand and with how much pressure he placed it. Matthew held nothing back as he clapped a hand on Alfred roughly, wrestled with him as a young boy would, and slapped his cup down on the table when he drank a little too fast.

Their mother, on the other hand, was very hurried. She twittered about the cottage with plates of food, dishes of all kinds from different Counties that even Arthur had a hard time placing. She fussed with Alfred and Matthew, forgetting often that Alfred was King, and sometimes even reminding Arthur that he needed to "sit up straight, or else you'll put a dent in your back".

Despite all of this, Arthur didn't think it bad. He only felt uncomfortable because of his appearance and inability to think up much to say beyond the occasional "oh, I see" and "really now". Watching the family interact, however, brought about a sense of calmness to Arthur. And he found himself smiling while listening to Alfred's mother jabber on about how Alfred tormented the poor woman when he was a baby.

After lunch was finished, Alfred stole Arthur away to show him the grounds. Alfred's mother and brother watched them from the kitchen window. A knowing smile was on the old woman's face.

They didn't linger near the house for long. Alfred grabbed Arthur by his hand and led him towards the back woods of the property. It was along the way that Arthur realized they were going up hills as his legs suddenly began to burn. His hand slipped free of Alfred's, and he had to go at a much slower pace.

"Alfred, where are you taking me?" Arthur asked between a wheeze. He wasn't going to admit he was out of shape, but palace life had really made his body incredibly sluggish. He wasn't used to walking so far, and then walking more, and _uphill_.

The King turned around to smile at Arthur, continuing the trek up by walking backwards. "I came here a lot when I needed a place to think. I wanted to show you it. I think you'll like the view."

When they neared the top, Alfred turned back around, and finished by running to the top. Arthur glared at him, wondering where we got such stamina. Then he remembered the man still trained to be a Knight with the Ace. He staggered to the top, bent over and resting his hands on his knees. He lifted his head to question Alfred's intentions once more, when the view stopped him.

They were overlooking the small valley of the village below that dotted the green hillside. Not far was the overbearing presence of the America Castle, the city's star reachers surrounding it. Arthur hadn't thought the city particularly attractive, nor did he find much beauty in the small Virginia village below, but from above his perspective had changed.

"Oh, Alfred," Arthur whispered. He stood and gingerly walked towards the edge of the hill. The wind rustled his hair, and he put a hand to brush his bangs away.

Movement out of the corner of his eye had him turn. Alfred had moved away from him, and he now stood underneath a lone apple tree facing the castle and the village. He stopped at a large Spades gravestone. From where Arthur stood he could see the words etched into the rock.

_Josiah Jones  
>Charles year 67-Philip year 45<br>Beloved father, husband, and Ace of Spades  
>May his legacy live forever<em>

Alfred looked at Arthur, placing a hand on the stone. "Arthur, I'd like for you to meet my father."

Arthur was silent for a moment, simply staring at the tombstone. He was unsure how he should react. He had never been to a grave before. And worse, he had never met another person's father before, either. Especially one that was dead.

Slowly, Arthur approached the tombstone, and then placed a hand atop the point of the Spade. "Hello Sir. It is a pleasure and an absolute honor to meet the famous Ace Jones. I have heard nothing but wonderful stories of you from your son here. I hope you know, he is a wonderful King."

Alfred smiled at Arthur for his kind words. He looked down at the ground as tears threatened to make an appearance. He rubbed at his nose instead, and then looked back up at the grave. "Father, this is Arthur Kirkland. He's the Queen of Spades. …And my best friend."

Arthur smiled, but didn't look at Alfred. He felt his cheeks heat up and knew if he looked at Alfred, the situation might change. He preferred it to stay this calm and casual way. It was easiest to judge what to do next. The day had been too unpredictable enough.

It seemed the day wasn't over in spontaneity. Alfred dragged Arthur down to the village. He boasted that there was more to it than what Arthur had seen.

The villagers took great interest in seeing their new King and Queen. The children flocked to them again, and Alfred was all too happy to entertain them. He let them try on his coat, not caring that it dipped down into the dusty grounds. At one point, he stole Arthur's hat that always sat on his head when they were out. Yao mentioned it was an old statement that the Queen must have something atop their head when their crown is not. Arthur and Alfred only assumed it was, again, something related to the first Queen.

Arthur had never been very good with children, so he wasn't sure just how to handle the situation, but he found that they were too in awe of him to care much what he could've done wrong. Instead they asked him questions about living a royal life: did he eat pork every day, did he always dress this way, did servants brush his teeth, etc. All in all, it made Arthur laugh and feel welcome in the village.

Someone pulled out a fiddle and someone else found a small drum, and they began to play. A little boy jumped next to them with a fife and joined in. The people all began to dance in a way Arthur had never seen before. He knew this wasn't modern, and it certainly wasn't traditional. Alfred seemed to know all the steps.

He took a little girl's hand, dancing out into the fray with her. Arthur scuttled back to the shadows to watch. The entire village didn't care that their King was dancing with them, for to them, Alfred was still the little half Number that lived on the hill, his father the deceased Ace of Spades. His coronation hadn't changed the fact they all still shared a history of his growing up.

The dance involved a lot of jumping, holding hands, twirling and slapping knees. Arthur was amused with this, but he was more impressed that everyone knew the steps. It seemed a lot more intricate a dance than those of Court. Alfred released the hand of the little girl and began to dance with other women. All of them were laughing with Alfred as he spun them around. Arthur followed his movements and tried to memorize the steps. It wasn't that he wanted to join, but he felt it necessary that he know since he was Queen. Anything to help him understand the citizens, that's all.

It wasn't to last. Alfred was there, taking his arm, and pulling him into the dance. The women giggled and tried to steal him away as soon as they could. The music grew louder as more villagers brought out their instruments to play the chaotic folk song. Arthur was wrenched from Alfred's arms, pulled into a middle aged woman's arms. She had frizzy brown hair and kind green eyes, but her freckles startled Arthur. He hadn't seen freckles on a person for years. Those of Court were to hide their "blemished" faces with make-up. It wasn't proper to the higher Numbers.

The music churned on, faster and faster. The children laughed and dogs barked and tried to jump in. Arthur felt his head spin, and he worried he might tumble to the ground, but then strong arms picked him up, and he was held to the King's chest. And it all stopped.

The villagers cheered. All the partners parted from each other, except for the King and Queen. The King was still holding his Queen. Arthur could clearly hear Alfred's heart beating fast from all the dancing. He smiled to himself, closing his eyes to be surrounded in only the noise and the warmth of the hand on his lower back and holding his hand. He felt Alfred move above him, and lips were pressed on his head.

Before long, the children had returned to talk to the royal duo, pulling them apart. Merchants rushed forward and begged them to buy their trinkets while chefs urged them to eat their food. Alfred laughed, keeping a hand on Arthur's back still, and led him around the town. He showed the Queen to the shops, bought him food and a few new furs, much to the pleasure of the shop keepers. The two dined together in a small "diner", as Alfred called it, and took in Arthur's second ever hamburger. Alfred laughed at his reaction, saying that this was better than the rushed restaurant they had back near the castle. The world melted away and it was just the two of them.

Twilight was coming on, and Alfred bid farewell to the villagers. He grabbed Arthur's hand again to drag him back to the hill they had gone to that early afternoon. Arthur was still panting when he reached the top, but his mood was considerably brighter.

"You _have_ to see the castle at night!" Alfred waved a hand out at the view, a wide smile on his face.

Before, the castle looked imposing and out of place among the villages and the greenery, but at night it was a golden crown on the glistening jewels of the lights of the city, fading down into the small flicker from the village. Stars peppered the indigo sky, enveloping the lights to make the night sky seem darker. Before long the lights glowed even brighter as the last remnants of the sun melted away the purple and blue tones to dissolve solely into black.

Alfred sat on the ground, his legs stretched out before him and his hands propping him up behind him. He was smiling as he looked out at the view. Arthur took a spot beside him, holding his knees to his chest to keep himself warm. For a time they were silent, just enjoying as the wind rustled the trees to give them a soundtrack to the evening. Alfred then turned to Arthur and began to talk about the stars.

"I think they're more than just some dots in the sky, ya know?" Alfred held his hands out towards the sky, stretching his hands across the expanse. "Yao and I have been looking into old scientific and religious scrolls and we're going to look more into the history of it. Maybe we can even go past the sky and up into those heavens."

Arthur closed his eyes, listening as Alfred rattled on with his ideas. Insane notions of what was beyond the clouds, and possibly joining the stars in their dark blanket. If Arthur were honest with himself, he'd say that he enjoyed Alfred's voice. It was thick with that American County accent, English spoken so differently from his English County's English. And he loved it so.

He loved Alfred's ideas, impossibly childish, but so full of faith. Arthur almost believed that he could get to any of his wishes if he put more hard work into it. He had flown, had he not? It wasn't entirely improbable. And Alfred could come up with so many ideas. During Parliament talks Arthur would glance over at Alfred to see him drawing in a notebook he took with him. Most were drawings of inventions he had that he would later show Timo and Berwald, but recently they had started to be of people.

Sometimes Alfred would draw the Lords making strange faces, or speaking nonsense, and it would bring a smile to Arthur's face. Now, however, it was of him. Arthur knew Alfred was clueless to Arthur's discovery; he'd have hidden it otherwise. Alfred would draw Arthur looking out at the distance, looking bored, smiling to himself, sipping his tea, reading, and doing other mundane tasks. It was the fact that Alfred watched him that closely that Arthur felt himself listening more to the King.

Their first meeting had been such a disaster, it was such a wonder they had grown to be best friends now, but Arthur couldn't imagine his life any different. Briefly, he wondered how he made it through all these years alone. Hearing Alfred talk of the kingdom replacing him if he died always depressed Arthur, and he much preferred the ramblings Alfred had now.

Arthur unwound his legs, stretching them out before him and put his hands back, right atop Alfred's. The King stopped speaking abruptly, and looked back to his hand. Arthur had tensed, but refused to look at his hand. It had been a mistake, not him trying to reaffirm in his mind that Alfred _was_ here and it was his mind getting the better of him.

They didn't speak. What was there to say? Anything spoken might break the mood. Arthur tried hard not to think just what kind of mood this was exactly.

Alfred turned his body, keeping his hand underneath Arthur's. He leaned in just as Arthur had turned his head to look at him. There was a moment where neither of them moved and they stared at one another. Arthur saw the intent in Alfred's eyes, and Alfred saw it in Arthur's. But as Alfred moved in again, Arthur pulled away with a small and shaky gasp.

He clambered up to stand, leaving Alfred bereft of his desire. Arthur couldn't even look at him, his face clouded in embarrassment and shame, and disappointment at himself. He clutched his jacket's coat tails close to his body and turned to leave. Alfred watched him without saying a word. He sighed, dropping his head, and looked back to the stars, hoping they could explain.

* * *

><p><em>Hoshiko2<em>'s cents: I apologize for the long draught in between updates. I had a minor writer's block, but it passed quickly enough. I hope you enjoy. Next chapter will be up faster (I hope).


	11. Act 1 Part 11

King Alfred awoke in uncontainable excitement on his birthday. He was up before Tolys had arrived to help him dress; taking a half an hour to himself with some books his mother had given him before he left when he stopped in for a visit. She said that they had belonged to his father and were all about the history of Spades' militia.

Tolys arrived and helped Alfred dress, though it was difficult considering Alfred was bouncing on his heels. The sight of the grand ceremony and all its dressings had seeped into Alfred's mind, and he knew that at this moment all of the people of the castle were dressing it with Spades colors and people were waking to celebrate his birth. It would be the best birthday of the year.

"Alfred," Tolys started. He held out a small cloth that had been wrapped around an even smaller item. "Happy birthday."

"What? You didn't have to get me anything!" Alfred smiled and took the gift. He unwrapped the purple cloth to find a pendant with the Spades symbol inside an upside down triangle engraved into the jade gem. "Wow…Tolys…"

"In Clubs it's meant to bring you fortune and prosperity," Tolys said sheepishly. Alfred held up the pendent, admiring it as it glittered in the morning sunlight. "I can have the royal jewelers make it into a necklace if you desire."

"Yeah," Alfred said, smiling at his servant. "I'd like that. I'd really like that. Thank you."

Tolys nodded and then bowed, preparing to leave the room. "Tolys," Alfred said suddenly, effectively stopping him. "Whatever happened in Clubs is past. I know who you are now, but… none of that matters. You're my friend."

Tolys blushed and smiled, bashfully flustering on the spot. He tinkered around the antechamber for a moment before he found the words to say back to the King. "Th-thank you. You are too kind to me, Alfred."

Alfred left his chambers soon afterwards. He was intent on seeking out Arthur. Breakfast was to be much larger than normal, and the Family was to dine in the Grand Hall with the Lords and members of the Court so that they may pay homage to Alfred for his birthday. Since the meal was more exquisite that meant there was more preparation time. Alfred had insisted that it be a private affair with just his Jack and Queen, but tradition called for it. He had already gotten away with the celebration not being at his own palace, so this couldn't slip away.

Knowing he had an extra hour to kill before he was to be on royal airs, Alfred headed for the Castle Gardens knowing full well Arthur would be there. Arthur had grumbled about how he had yet to spend some quality time with the roses when they overlooked the city at night when out from the castle at Alfred's home town.

Alfred smiled at the memory of the impromptu visit. The way Arthur looked as they danced, how his cheeks flushed when their hands touched, how green his eyes became when the stars shinned in them. How close they came to kissing.

Alfred's face heated up at the thought. At the time his mind whirled with only thoughts of Arthur's eyes closing and soft lips upon his. He was lovelier than any rose when his cheeks reddened. Alfred was growing more apprehensive as each day passed. Many times he'd awake and feel confident enough to lay all pretentions aside and just take Arthur to be his. Other days, however, he withered under at the thought of Arthur not liking him beyond a friendship level and forever only seeing holding hands as a sweet gesture and not "I can't get enough of you-I have to feel you're actually beside me."

This must be what insanity feels like, Alfred thought drearily.

Arthur was tending to the roses when Alfred spotted him. The morning sun hadn't completely peeked over the castle wall and a shadow was cast over the flowers, just missing Arthur. He sat in the grass with a stem pulled over, a rose delicately teetering in his palm. All in all, it was a picture of pure beauty, and Arthur's very presence made it precious. Alfred's heart swelled with affection, and he almost skipped up to his Queen.

When Alfred approached the sun caught his eyes, and he was momentarily blinded. Blinking back the colored dots that pricked his vision he could see Arthur watching him. He could hear him chuckling, standing to full height.

"Good morning, Alfred," Arthur said, amused. "And a happy birthday to you."

Upon returning to the Castle Arthur hadn't spoken a word of their "almost kiss" or the visit itself. He wasn't awkward about the affair, it was more he just wanted to bypass the subject altogether. Alfred was content with this as he felt that night had been a humiliating letdown. Here he had thought the day had been gloriously perfect, but then it all crashed down come nightfall and Alfred was left with a bruised heart.

The castle had noticed the couple's sudden disappearance, but thought it a welcome respite given the turmoil of the preparations. Yao wasn't worried; he had an Ace trail after them once they had been spotted a few miles out of the town, and was kept up to date about their dealings. When they arrived back home he wasn't frustrated, but sat down to dinner with them just like always.

Now Alfred wanted to be like Arthur and Yao, and just keep going. He had to put his best foot forward if he was to get a better reaction from Arthur.

"Hey Arthur." Alfred reached out and plucked a rose from the stem. With a slight bow full of flourish he held it out to Arthur. "For you, my Queen."

Arthur always took the rose Alfred offered him, even if he seemed put out by the gift. Today, however, he pushed Alfred's hands back. Alfred's heart raced as various terrifying reasons why sped through his mind. Maybe Arthur really wasn't over the almost-kiss, or he was angry Alfred was still trying. Yet Arthur was smiling in a kind and gentle way that paved a road through his insecurities, calming him.

"It is your birthday, Alfred." Arthur flicked his hand and produced a bright red rose between his fingers from the air. He mirrored Alfred's bow, offering him the rose. "For you, my King."

Alfred blushed, unused to receiving gifts, especially from Arthur. He took it with clammy hands and placed it in his breast pocket. It stood out against his deep blue jacket. Alfred smiled earnestly at it, and then at Arthur. "I love it! Thank you! Is this my gift from you?"

"No," Arthur replied with a shake of his head as he stood up straight. A gust of wind ruffled his hair and he put a hand up to keep his hair out of his eyes. "The real gift shall come later…"

The sun peeked then, and Arthur saw a flash of light slice across his vision. There was a warm hand on his cheek, soft lips upon his, and a whisper of a promise to return. It was Alfred's voice, but Arthur knew that was not Alfred himself. There was something off about it all. Warning bells went off in his head as panic mounted.

His hands shot out to shove the voice away. He stumbled and fell to the side, but Alfred caught him. He called Arthur's name, his eyes and worried eyes staring into his. Arthur's head pounded. He closed his eyes as the light seemed brighter than before. Heat pressed itself on his face, and he moaned out, the climax of the light and pain coming and finally subsiding. Arthur squinted and was just barely able to see a red rose. He focused on that until the terrifying feeling ebbed away enough for him to hear Alfred's voice.

"Arthur? Please! Talk to me!" Alfred called, his voice cracking.

Arthur put a hand on Alfred's cheek; a reassurance it was truly him. "Forgive me. I fear I'm hungrier than I knew and swooned from it."

"You're hungry?" Arthur nodded, trying to sit up. Alfred stopped him with a firm hand on his shoulder.

"I've got you." He slipped an arm under Arthur's legs while the other pressed Arthur's body close to his chest as he rose to his feet. Arthur yelped in surprise, prompting Alfred to hold him tighter. Arthur winced as a sharp pain shot through his temple, but he continued to put up a fight. Imagine what the servants would say at such a sight, or anyone for that matter. Castle was crawling with upper class Lords, Ladies, Dukes, and Earls. Gossip would spread by wildfire.

"Relax," Alfred said quietly. His hot breath caressed Arthur's earlobe. "I won't drop you."

Arthur would late blame it on his throbbing migraine as to why he stopped trying to wrestle himself out from Alfred's arms. He'd also blame his irritable mood on the "fever" the royal physician said he had. All he wanted to do was hide his face forever and bury his hammering heart.

* * *

><p>The festivities continued with no one having been alerted to Arthur's fainting episode. Even Yao had been left out; Alfred just couldn't take hearing about more "bad omens" for the Monarchy anymore from him, especially on his special day. Alfred was primped and polished to shine like a coin in his birthday attire. The outfit was complete when the crown was fitted on his head and the King's Watch was tied to his breast pocket. He placed his birthday rose beside it; the only red on his outfit.<p>

He was led to the Grand Ballroom by Ace Morgens, Tolys by his side. The two men were dressed up the occasion as well. Of course, Tolys was not to really be seen, but always present whenever the King needed him. Morgens was free to peruse around the ballroom and talk with the guests, but he was still in charge or security.

The Castle's ballroom was much less elegant than the Pearl or the Palace, but it had a much more impressive entry way and dais for the thrones. The guests were to be lead down a grand staircase that overlooked the entirety of the marbled dance floor. Floor to ceiling arched windows stretched the majority of the wall space, and whatever wasn't a window was painted in lavender and blues. Tall vases decorated with Spades motifs and filled with red roses sat on the floor by the windows. The ballroom had an impeccable view of the green gardens just outside with the bushes trimmed into the shape of Spades and a magnificent statue of the previous Monarchy. Behind the dais and the thrones was a painting of the current Family: Alfred standing with Arthur sitting to his right and Yao kneeling on his left. Their attire was very similar to what they were wearing tonight, but Alfred's sword was tied at his waist, the Queen's Clock was at Arthur's feet, resting against his knees, and the Jack's Sword was resting in Yao's lap.

Alfred entered upon hearing a knocking on the ground. He was announced to the assembly and then the doors opened before him. The mass of people stood and applauded his entry. Alfred nodded his head, mindful of his crown, and then descended the stairs with his head held high and a smile on his face. The crowd parted so he could walk down the blue carpet that led to the thrones where Arthur and Yao waited for him.

It all felt surreal, and yet, all Alfred could think about was his father. How his father had been the one to lead the late King down the hallway as Morgens had just done, had lived this life of glittering wealth, and had even been allowed to have his wife on his arm during such gala events. Trying to imagine his mother here was just as strange as seeing himself in the mirror shortly before he left his chambers. It just didn't seem right, and yet, here it was. Here Alfred was, the King of Spades, sovereign ruler of forty-eight counties and one capital.

Panic rose in his throat as the crown, again felt as heavy as it had the first night Alfred wore it, but green eyes caught his and he simmered. He kept eye contact with Arthur, smiling a bit at seeing the man's own secretive proud smirk, and then he finally reached the dais. Alfred turned slowly and, together with his Queen and Jack, sat on the thrones. Instantly, the band in the far corner began to play music while more guests were announced. Now it was time for special guests and later comers to arrive.

Arthur was looking at his clock intensely. The hands were still dormant behind the glass, having not moved since they acted strangely during the Counting, selecting the current trio as reigning monarchy. He still wondered if there had been a mistake. If maybe he wasn't meant for this kind of lifestyle, no matter how accustomed he'd grown to it. Of course, looking at Alfred and Yao set his mind at ease, and he tended to forget his initial panic. Now the idea was stronger than ever just by looking at Alfred's wide smile.

Lords then began their approach to the thrones to wish Alfred a happy birthday and express their gratitude at being invited. It was customary that all Lords be invited to special events, but there had been a time in previous Monarchs were certain Lords were not invited out of having lost popularity with the Court. Now it was rare that such a thing happen to the point it became so public. Alfred greeted all of the Lords with smiles, knowing which man to shake hands with and which to just nod and thank.

There was a loud knocking from the entryway. Guests looked in interest as the man announced the next visitor. Alfred had just met the Lord of Mexico when he heard the new arrival's name.

"Presenting Matthew Williams and Grace Jones, special guests of the Family! Brother and mother to our gracious King!"

Alfred stood quickly. When he looked over the list of guests invited weeks ago he specifically remembered not seeing his family there. It wasn't as if they were forbidden from coming, but Alfred didn't think they would fit in well seeing as his father was no longer alive. His mother only got away with everything in the fact no one would go against the great Ace Jones. But his brother?

The fact they were here now left only one of two options- either it was a custom he didn't know about that they were just automatically invited and thus weren't put on the list because it was obvious, or Arthur or Yao had invited them without his knowing. He looked first to Yao and then to Arthur expectantly.

"Why is your brother's surname different from yours?" Yao asked suddenly.

Alfred turned back to him. "Because Matt's legally a Ten, so he takes my mother's maiden name, just like he takes her number. My mother retains her married name until she remarries."

Ms Jones and Matthew made their way down the aisle, the same way Alfred had only moments before. The other guests stared at them in aghast. Ms Jones had managed to find a sparkling blue ball gown and Matthew wore a navy blue vest and black suit jacket, much like Morgens' Ace attire. He knew for a fact his family could not have afforded such gifts, so again it left the option that they had been invited, and then lavished gifts. That left only one individual.

Alfred rushed to greet them, holding his crown still. He hugged his mother first and then his brother. "How? What're you?" He sighed quickly to calm himself. Then he smiled and asked, "I'm so glad you're here, but _how_ did you get invited?"

"Imagine our surprise when Queen Arthur left an invite on the table!" Ms Jones said excitedly. Her blonde hair was under a white scarf, a symbol of being a widow, but no longer in mourning. It was decorated in the Spades design with a _J _embroidered into the collar as a sign of being an Ace's wife. Her face was flushed, giving her a youthful flow from years past. Her eyes sparkled of forgotten memories. She put her hands on her heated cheeks and smiled. "My! This is just like the events your father took me to!"

Matthew chuckled. He turned a bit to show off the coattails hanging behind him. He was even wearing fine polished leather shoes. "Father left you this suit for when you became Ace, but I took it since I figure you're not going to use it."

"Mother, yours is from years ago?" Alfred asked, looking at the dress in awe.

"Your father bought it for me," his mother replied with a content sigh.

"Welcome," Arthur said pleasantly as he joined Alfred by his side. "What a pleasure to see you again."

As Alfred turned to say something (of what, he didn't know), Yao had begun talking. The guests silenced and turned to him. "Guests, honored friends, and my fellow Family, it is time for the first dance. The King shall say a few words before we begin."

Alfred gulped, suddenly remembering his duties. He stepped forward, ignoring the hundreds of eyes upon him, and said in booming voice, "I would like to welcome each and every one of you to my Birthday Ball. I now would like to have my first dance be with Queen Arthur as a thank you to everyone here. This is a great tradition that has started since the first King and Queen, and it shows great humility that the King and Queen dance before their citizens. Afterwards, please feel free to dance and dine. Thank you."

The orchestra began to play a slow song with a sweet flute and a soft violin accompanying it. The guests automatically parted to create a circle in the center of the ball room. Ms Jones winked at Alfred before moving aside. Perhaps if she hadn't Alfred wouldn't have suddenly become so nervous. It wasn't from dancing as it had been all those months ago, but rather it was of whom he was dancing with.

Still, Alfred swallowed his anxiety, bowed, and held a hand out to Arthur. He flashed a charming smile for good measure. Arthur huffed to hide a smile and took Alfred's hand. Together they walked into the circle. Alfred placed his other hand on Arthur's waist, turning him so they were face to face. Arthur placed his free hand on Alfred's shoulder. They hesitated for just a moment, just that single moment to connect eyes, and then they started on the right note.

Alfred took a strong lead. He didn't start, didn't fumble, and he certainly didn't step on Arthur's toes. He wasn't looking away either. Their eyes were still focused on only each other. Shortly after they had begun, Arthur relaxed in Alfred's hold. Part way through, Alfred pulled Arthur closer. He whispered something in his ear which made Arthur's face flare up. Instead of pushing away, though, he closed his eyes and leaned in to the hold. Alfred's lips brushed Arthur's temple.

Suddenly Arthur felt like he was twirling, spinning, laughing, and being held in loving arms. Again, it wasn't Alfred, but it was so close. Almost him, but something was off. There was a sweet kiss on his lips that smelled of roses that felt like it held all the promise of unbridled love. It made Arthur torn between feeling warmth he'd never known bury into his heart and take hold of him, or to feel a sickening sense of dread as his head came back to him. He tried to focus more on the former feeling. It felt as if he belonged right here and he never knew he had been out of place before.

But just like that, it ended and Arthur was back to the here and now. He looked at Alfred and saw him for the first time. How had he missed his smile, the faint dusting of freckles across his nose, the slight worry lines on his brow, or the small dents in his skin from where his glasses pressed into his nose? He was nothing short of…

A swarm of richly dressed Lords, Ladies, Dukes, and Duchesses danced onto the floor, crowing the Royal couple. They were swept right into a waltz. Alfred had managed a swift kiss to Arthur's cheek before he vanished into the crowd. Arthur watched him go as people moved around him, and a sense of uncertainty washed over him like a tidal wave.

* * *

><p>The sun set bathing the ballroom in hues of gold and red. Mages used their powers to serve the guests with floating trays that would automatically replenish itself whenever someone took a drink or a small finger food. They had been employed by Arthur just for this special occasion. The orchestra continued to play and many of the guests were still dancing, but a few had taken to standing to the side and chatting with others. All in all, the atmosphere felt very relaxed.<p>

Ms Jones had become quite popular with the Aces. They had pulled her to the side and began reminiscing about the late Mr. Jones. She fit in nicely. Meanwhile Matthew stayed with Alfred and had garnered some attention from ladies of Court who remarked how alike he was to the King. Mostly it was for show and for good face. The minute he was out of sight many ladies promptly forgot about him.

Arthur had receded from the party, taking to his throne for the evening and turning down any invites to dance. After his time with Alfred he had been left very rattled. His stomach and head churned with questions and unfamiliar territory. Yao, who had been rubbing elbows with guests, noticed the Queen had retired to his throne. Even from a distance he could make out the man's sour disposition.

It took him a few minutes to traverse through the crowd, but he finally made it to the dais. "Tired Arthur?" he asked with a small smile.

"Ah, yes," Arthur replied. He sounded exhausted, but not from lack of sleep but rather because he seemed emotionally drained. "I just need a moment's reprieve."

Yao nodded and took his own seat, looking out at the massive crowd. Alfred stood out amongst the throng of people like a polished gem. Glancing over, Yao could see Arthur watching the King.

"Your dance with Alfred earlier was much better than before," Yao commended casually. Out of his peripheral he saw Arthur stiffen. A coy smile spread across his face. "I believe it looked quite lovely. Almost…like you two belong together."

Arthur sighed and deflated in his seat. His arms fell to the sides as his head dropped. "Yao…I feel stupid…"

"Love does that to a person," Yao said, chuckling to himself.

Predictably Arthur blushed hot red and denied everything. He became quite animated all of a sudden, waving his hands about and shaking his head vehemently. "N-no! I-it's not love! That's! Yao! Honestly!"

Yao's interest had been peaked. His smile only grew wider. "But it _is_ something, yes?"

Arthur deflated once again, this time his head falling into his hands. "I don't know… I'm… We shouldn't… It's not…"

Yao's smile softened at seeing Arthur's plight. He closed his eyes. "Don't think that just because it hasn't happened before doesn't mean it can't happen now."

Arthur opened his mouth to speak, but there was a loud knocking; an announcement. The guests quieted as the music abruptly ended. At the top of the stairs was an Ace that gathered everyone's attention. He held his arms out in a grand gesture.

"Ladies, gentleman, and our beloved Family, if I may request that you head out into the gardens, we shall begin our finale. Jack Yao and Queen Arthur have a surprise for King Alfred. Thank you."

Alfred looked pleasantly surprised. He began to move with the crowd, but Morgens stopped him with a hand on his arm. "Sire, please follow me."

Together with a silent Arthur and a smiling Yao, Alfred was led into the farthest flung reaches of the castle. They then ascended a large staircase that spiraled upwards, thinning as it got closer to the top. Finally they reached a large, thick wooden door. Two glassless windows sat in the stone wall on opposite sides of each other. Alfred glanced outside to see the crowd that had gathered below. They must have climbed to the tallest tower in Castle.

Morgens opened the door for the trio. They walked out onto a balcony with an impressive view of the city and many of the outlying villages. Alfred knew exactly which was his. Morgens then bowed and took his leave.

Alfred rushed to the stone half-wall at the edge of the balcony, looking over to see everyone down below. His face was alight with joy akin to a child's innocent glee. He turned to Yao and Arthur with his brilliant smile. Arthur's nerves lessened at the sight and he felt a smile form in return.

"This is amazing! What's my gift?" Alfred asked hurriedly; his words tumbling out too fast for Yao and Arthur to understand.

Yao hid his laugh with his long, blue sleeve. "Arthur and I organized something, yes, but we have separate gifts to give." He produced a blue Spade gem from his sleeve. A single Chinese character in gold was engraved into the stone. "It means _Shou_ which means longevity, life, or birthday. I thought it fitting for the occasion."

"Long live Spades, huh?" Alfred asked with a smirk. He took the small jewel and smiled at Yao warmly. "Thank you Yao. Really. Thank you."

Yao nodded. He looked over Alfred's shoulder at Arthur. The Queen caught his stare. Yao couldn't help but waggle his eyebrows to make him blush. Arthur coughed to get Alfred's attention. He fiddled with his crown instead of his clothes. It made Alfred smile knowing Arthur was just as nervous.

"Th-this is my gift to you," Arthur said softly. His eyes began to glow green and a small blue light sparked from his hand, growing into a ball. It shot out of his hand and into the air, exploding like a firework. The blue light lit up Castle and the gardens below. The crowd cheered at the sight. The first explosion set off more.

The fireworks danced around in the night sky, temporarily making it day. Alfred watched in awe at the show. Arthur smiled at seeing his excited reaction. He set off a few more bursts of light, this time making them red and green. Yao was silent until he tapped Alfred on the shoulder. He merely told him to look below.

Just outside Castle's walls was a congregation of people. These were not his guests, though. They were just regular Numbers; his citizens. Alfred looked confused and turned to Yao and Arthur again for clarity. Arthur said nothing. He simply waved his hand out at the crowd.

One by one the people lit up. Alfred squinted and saw they were all holding candles. Arthur's magic was lighting them.

"You once told me you worried what people thought of you," Arthur started. "That you thought no one would miss you when you were gone. Look now. Not even a year as King and already so beloved."

Yao took that as his cue to slip away unnoticed by Alfred. He doubted the King would tear his attention away from Arthur anyways. Before leaving, however, he looked at Arthur knowingly. Arthur flushed and looked away. He happened to see Alfred's expression as he did so.

Slowly, painfully so, he put his hand atop Alfred's and said," But… I fear I will miss you most of all…"

Alfred looked at the hand and then to Arthur. He turned his hand so that they could intertwine their fingers together. He squeezed affectionately. Arthur lifted his head and met Alfred's gaze.

"I promise I will never leave you," Alfred said quietly.

Arthur felt his heart pound almost painfully at this. Not because he didn't want it. His resolve was breaking fast. It just couldn't possibly be true that Alfred was the same. But that smile, that hand holding his, those eyes, and that promise. That was all too much for him to deny.

He leaned into Alfred, only closing his eyes when he saw Alfred leaning too. A hand cupped behind Arthur's neck suddenly. It sent shivers down his spine. Soft lips met his, and Arthur knew this was real. This was Alfred. And they were kissing under the stars as fireworks overtook the sky and Spades Numbers stood below to watch the show.

* * *

><p><em>Now we make our move.<em>

_This should be fun! Hee hee hah hah!_

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><p><em>Hoshiko2<em>'s cents: Sap EVERYWHERE! There will be side stories of the Family's time in the other Suits coming up before the next chapter. Sorry, but I put them off long enough. I suggest you check back every now and again to see if they're up; or just follow my tumblr.


	12. Act 1 Part 12

_A/N: _If you haven't read it yet, there is a side story of when the Family goes to Hearts under the fic "Hoyle Interlude". I suggest you read that sometime.

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><p>In the days to come, servants ran wild with gossip of the new and open relationship. It trickled down in the town where it spread even further and further until the entire kingdom knew. Newspapers posted about practically every single thing the two did from when they held hands in public to when Alfred brushed a hair behind Arthur's ear when meeting with some public officials. All of this attention was even noticed by the other kingdoms. Their Family sent well wishes and words of encouragement to the happy couple.<p>

It would seem so strange to have such an impressively positive reaction from seemingly everyone, but considering this was the first time a King and Queen had ever voluntarily courted for the first time since the First Reign not just in Spades, but in all of Hoyle, it seemed perfectly normal to have the entirety of the four kingdoms become obsessed with them. Some were skeptical, others were optimistic, but no one was more worried than the Jack.

Yao was happy for his King and Queen as much as any friend could be, but with it came the stress of the situation. Alfred and Arthur lived together and saw each other much more often than new couples were usually permitted to do so. Of course, more of it was for political reasons, but that was exactly why Yao fretted as much as he did. If they fought, who's to say they wouldn't go back to their bickering ways like after the first few months they had been crowned?

During all of this, research on the Jokers went to the wayside. Instead, the Family took their leave of Castle back to Pearl with no hesitation. Along the way Alfred suggested they do a kingdom tour until Parliament was recalled, a stark contrast to when he complained about the original idea when it was first proposed two months ago. Yao was no longer interested in the idea seeing as he was eager to just get home and finally relax. Arthur too was not in favor, especially after overhearing Alfred say he had plans to go to England County to meet Arthur's parents. He didn't want to see his family after years of their being separated. Considering they had not been present for the Coronation or Alfred's birthday despite their invitations he assumed they wanted nothing more to do with him.

Alfred was disappointed his idea was shot down, but he didn't stay that way for long. He saw the time at home as a way for him and Arthur to be alone. He didn't care that, under Yao's orders, there was to be a knight surveying them at all times they were together. He wanted to shower Arthur in all of his affections now that he no longer had to hide any of it. Arthur reveled in this extra interest from the King.

Every morning he would awake to roses in his antechambers hand-picked by Alfred and placed in elegant vases around the room. In return, Arthur read to Alfred under the shade of trees out in the gardens with tea and biscuits. He always noticed when Alfred would close his eyes and smile blissfully, leaning his head back up towards the sun, and sigh in a way Arthur couldn't quite understand. Was he even really listening?

One day the couple had even managed to make their way down to the beach. While under strict watch they walked hand in hand as the water splashed on their feet, tickling their toes with sand and pebbles. Alfred was laughing as the sun kissed his cheeks and tanned his skin. Arthur leaned in to the slight touches that Alfred accidentally slipped. The sea air helped relieve them of the summer heat.

Days like these left the two feeling invincible.

Every night Alfred escorted Arthur to his chambers, kissing his hand, and wishing him a good night. Arthur always sputtered a nearly incoherent reply, but Alfred would smile nonetheless. Tonight, however, Arthur invited the King inside. The knights began to follow as well, but Arthur stopped them.

"If I may, a time alone." It wasn't a request. The knights complied and remained outside.

Alfred lingered around in the room for a moment until he took a seat on the couch. He pat the spot beside him invitingly. Arthur joined him, though they sat at an awkward distance apart. They hadn't kissed since Alfred's birthday, over a week ago. They had to make do with chaste pecks on the cheek or farewell kisses on the hand. With the constant invasion of privacy it didn't feel right to do anything more. Not since that night on the balcony.

Now, however, they wasted little time. Nerves be damned. The couple shared a furious desire to be close again. Alfred pulled Arthur to him, almost into his lap. Arthur responded eagerly. He cradled Alfred's head in his hands, tilting him slightly to the side so that Arthur might kiss him without their noses bumping. They were a little too zealous, and their teeth clacked against one another.

They separated with a hand to their mouths. Alfred chuckled after a moment, and then gave their kiss a second chance. Arthur was always surprised by how soft Alfred's lips were. He thought the man to have rougher ones given his earlier lifestyle. The same could've been said about how he handled Arthur, but his touches and embraces were just as gentle. He'd caress him lightly, fingertips ghosting along his neck, and then he'd move his lips slowly as if they were dancing again and Alfred worried he'd step on his toes. It was endearing, to say the least, and Arthur wanted to stay just like this.

An abrupt knocking on the door jolted them apart. Arthur smoothed down his hair and clothes, remembering to adjust his small hat. He called for the person to enter. A panicked Yao rushed in holding a letter.

"The Queen of Diamonds has been kidnapped!" he exclaimed.

Both Alfred and Arthur jumped up in surprise. They simultaneously barraged Yao with questions. Yao yelled at them to silence, of which they quickly did.

"Details are vague," Yao started with a sigh as he collected himself. "All I know is it happened three days ago. News just now reached us."

"Should we offer our support to find her?" Alfred asked.

"That would look good diplomatically," Arthur started with a nod. "But if we were to become involved or overstep our limits, Francis might be offended at our perceived interference."

Yao agreed. "We will only send words of encouragement and offer our support, but without directly helping. It's best to wait until they call on us. Come Alfred. You should write to Francis immediately."

"Okay." He turned to Arthur and kissed him quickly on the lips. Yao was too upset to notice, otherwise he would have scolded them. "I'll see you tomorrow. Sleep well my Queen."

Arthur, so used to these bids good night, found he felt uncomfortable at their parting. It could be because Yao had been present, or it could be because it was on the lips and not on the hand like always. He was certain, however, that it was because now he was to be left alone after hearing such distressing news.

"Y-you too my King," he murmured, ignoring the heat on his cheeks and the way he squirmed on the spot.

Alfred and Yao left after that. Arthur stood in his chambers feeling very alone and suddenly very exposed. He shivered, desperately wishing Alfred hadn't left him. He wrapped his arms around him as he began to pace his antechambers. It was a warm night and the windows were open, but with a quick wave of his hand Arthur had them all closed.

"Leon," he called suddenly. "Draw my bath. I must relax."

* * *

><p>In the morning Arthur sought Alfred out. He craved his presence out of necessity to feel safe again. Not for himself, but for Alfred. While it had been the Queen who had been kidnapped, that didn't mean his King was safe. Anything could happen at this point.<p>

Alfred greeted Arthur with a tight hug. Arthur could hear his heart beating hard in his chest. It brought a smile to his face. He was alive and safe, a little shaken up, but he was here.

"Walk with me," Alfred murmured. "Before breakfast"

"To our spot?" Arthur asked, hopeful that was the answer. Alfred nodded.

They wound through the gardens, hand in hand, watching as the morning dew dripped off the rose petals. Pearl gleamed in the morning light. Arthur leaned his head against Alfred's shoulder. Briefly he remembered the first time he and Alfred had been in Palace's gardens, and when Alfred gave him a rose. Back then he had been a Two that had prejudices against lower Numbers. Now he had fully come into his Card position; a limitless title that allowed him to love this half-Number freely. Alfred had been the one to show him that a number meant nothing, but that it was a person's self-worth that defined them.

"Alfred?" Arthur started. He looked up at him fondly. A wave of affection washed over him when Alfred gazed down. He stretched up to kiss him.

"Your Majesties!" Arthur groaned and stepped away. The knights had found them.

A pair of men rushed up, saluting quickly, and then holding out a letter. "Sires, we have received another letter."

Arthur gasped, taking the proffered paper. "About Queen Lily?"

A knight shook his head. "No, sire. Queen Elizaveta of Clubs was kidnapped two nights ago."

Alfred tensed instantly. "Alert the Jack. Have him meet the Queen and I in the Meeting Room."

The knights saluted again and turned to head back into the castle. Alfred gripped Arthur's hand tightly and rushed back inside, heading for their breakfast room. It was nearly their normal time to meet, but Yao was probably still in his chambers, or in the library. Arthur stumbled a few times keeping up with Alfred. He wanted to ask him to slow down, but Alfred seemed determined to get inside as quickly as possible.

Once in the Meeting Room he sat Arthur down and then strode to the window. Arthur was given a moment to catch his breath, but he felt that impossible. First Lily and now Elizaveta? Arthur was rather close to both ladies, but he couldn't imagine the pain their loved ones were experiencing. Vash's little sister had been snatched out from under his nose, and Roderich's wife was somehow out there in the world. Hopefully both were unharmed, but it was hard to know for sure.

"It was the Jokers!" Yao yelled as he entered the room. He was holding parchments. "I think they're up to something."

"What could they possibly gain from this?" Alfred asked. He took a seat at the table, prompting Yao to sit as well. He watched as the ancient parchments were unfurled before his very eyes.

"They might be declaring war on us," Arthur said lowly. His fingers brushed the paper, fearful too strong a touch would break the brittle corners. "Perhaps they want our lands. They are powerful creatures after all."

Yao shook his head. "I believe it's something worse. There are legends of the 'Last Time Queens Were Gathered'. I think they want that scenario to happen again."

"What's that mean?" Alfred asked with a frown. "Arthur and the other Queens have already 'gathered' for the Coronation."

"There's an old incident that changed the course of our history." Yao pointed at a drawing of four crudely drawn people. One was yellow, another was green, the third was red, and the last was black. "The Queens back then were seen as the rulers of the kingdoms. The King was whomever they chose to rule by their side, and a Jack wasn't nearly as important as they are today."

"So then what's this incident?" Alfred asked.

"Queens _never_ gathered back in those days," Yao explained. "They would send the Jack."

"So a Jack was a diplomat then," Arthur clarified.

"Yes, but there was an incident where the Queens all gathered for some reason. Unfortunately, most of the records have been destroyed, so knowing why or what happened is sparse. I can't say for certain just what exactly happened. But I know that since then the power of the Queens has diminished greatly." Here, Yao paused. He then looked at Arthur. "All but the Queen of Spades."

Arthur grew worried. "What? But the other Queens posses powers."

"Yes, but not to the strength they once were," Yao said. "And certainly not to your standards. The only reason Spades won over Hearts during the last war was because of Queen Holly. The Queen of Spades has immeasurable magical power, far beyond the other Queens. According to my records, however, all the Queens should be on equal ground with their powers."

"How do you mean?"

"Lily should have more than just the power to grow flowers," Yao explained. He pointed at the yellow figure on the parchment. "She should have the ability to heal, even bring back life. Elizaveta's strength should be matching Alfred's. And Kiku's agility should be far more than what he is now, even able to fly with his powers. However, they have greatly been reduced."

"What about the Kings and Jacks?" Alfred asked. "Did all of theirs go down too?"

Yao nodded. "Jacks, to this day, still do not have powers, but instead wit. It was expected of them to be appointed to their positions, but never something that was as powerful as it is now. Like my craving for knowledge. That came after this incident. Kings, however, have been given more power than before."

"You mean my super strength?" Alfred asked.

"Yes. It wasn't nearly as powerful then." Yao looked back to his research. "However, since the incident took place during the First Reign, it is impossible to say whether or not these were acquired by position as it is now, or if it was just the First Reign. I wish I had more information on this…"

"So then why are they trying to gather the Queens again?" Arthur asked slowly. He was staring at two white figures hovering in the air above the drawing of the four Queens. They had masks over their faces.

"I believe they are going to use you to recreate another incident," Yao replied solemnly. "Whether that be to take more power away, or to give more back, I do not know. But I am certain they will come for you after they have taken Queen Kiku."

Alfred stood up suddenly, his knees knocking into the table. He didn't even wince. "We have to write to Hearts right away."

Arthur didn't move. He heard as Yao and Alfred discussed the matter, but their voices were muffled, as if Arthur heard them down the hall. He wasn't really here right now, was he? He just stared at the images, trying to understand what could be done; what had already happened.

He saw the yellow, red, and green Queens surround the black Queen. They approached her with weapons raised, and then there was a flash. The Jokers laughed loudly in Arthur's ears.

"Arthur?" Alfred called. He put a hand on Arthur's shoulder, lightly shaking him. "Are you okay?"

"Huh? Oh, yes. Yes. Sorry. I'm very hungry, and all of this is making my appetite worse." He placed his napkin in his lap. "Why don't we eat before we do anything?"

Alfred and Yao hesitated, but then they sat. They were always ready for food. The meal was called, and the King and Jack discussed matters while they ate. Arthur remained quiet through-out the entire debate. He didn't want to call on Hearts to warn them of Kiku's dangers; for all he knew they had already prepared since they had most likely received the same news. All he wanted was to escape somewhere private with his King and Jack, and remain there until this all blew over.

But breakfast ended soon enough, and Parliament was called. Many of the Lords were in their respective counties, so it would take days for them to reach the castle. Nevertheless, the ones that had lingered nearby or were in close enough areas to the Holland County were called to attend this emergency meeting.

Yao began by briefly explaining what had happened in the past few days. He wrapped it up by saying his theory on just what the Jokers could be doing and how Arthur possibly factored into this equation. Alfred then stood to announce his extra efforts to block anyone coming and going from Spades, a sudden curfew, and a demand that all Numbers have their papers to identify themselves on them at all times. A few Lords protested this seeing as it being a bit to invasive, but Alfred fought back.

"We are to see this as war," he said fiercely. "The Jokers have already taken two Queens, and there has already been an attack on Spades just a few months ago. The people will have to understand."

"Did they not also send fake news of a plague?" a Lord asked. "Is this just another ruse from them?"

"I have already sent a personal messenger to confirm all of these details from Diamonds," Yao started. "I assure you, this is not a joke like last time."

Just then, the doors to the Council Room burst open, and a messenger ran inside. He was holding out a piece of parchment. Alfred and Yao turned to look at the man, and Arthur stood up in fear.

"The Queen of Hearts-!"

Arthur silenced the messenger quickly with a wave of his hand. He looked at Alfred worriedly. Even without hearing the actual words Alfred had turned an ashy grey. He looked deeply upset by this, and Arthur knew it wasn't because of another Queen vanishing, but because it was Kiku; a dear friend of Alfred's.

Alfred rose from his seat and hastened out of the room. The Lords began talking amongst themselves. They missed seeing Arthur slip away after his King. Yao moved after Alfred as well, but stopped when silver caught his eye. Silver hair. The same color as the last messenger who delivered news of the plague.

The man had his hat pulled low over his eyes, but there was an unmistakable smug grin across his alabaster skin. Yao reached out to grab for the man when instead he touched vapor. The man vanished before his very eyes.

Yao gasped and took a few steps back. Then, "JOKERS! JOKERS IN THE CASTLE!"

The Lords reacted immediately, almost as fast as the knights in the room. The men grabbed all of their belongings and bustled from the room. Yao pushed past them in hopes of finding the King and Queen. A Joker in the castle meant only one thing.

"Arthur!" Yao called. Just then the castle bells began to toll in alarm. Knights and Aces sprang up from seemingly nowhere.

One knight reached for Yao, but the Jack pulled back. "No! The Queen is in danger of being taken! Find him!"

"You must be taken into safety as well, Your Highness," the knight said quickly. He took Yao by the arm firmly before the man could protest any further. He began leading him further into the castle and away from all of the commotion.

Yao jerked himself free from the grasp and stared at the knight with suspicion. After the messenger, he couldn't trust anyone unless he saw their face. And this knight, unlike the others, had his visor down. "Show me your face!"

When the knight made no move to do so, Yao snatched at the helmet, knocking the visor off of his face. A young boy's face with blonde hair and blue eyes stuck his tongue out at Yao. The Jack jumped back in fear. The Joker began laughing wildly. Around him, the armor shook and started to fall apart. The chest piece then fell away leaving only the helmet and the boy's floating head. His face then slowly vanished, and the helmet clattered to the ground. The loud clang silenced the laugh, but its echo remained in Yao's head.

"Alfred, Arthur, where are you?" he muttered to himself in Mandarin Chinese as he shook to regain his senses.

"Jack Yao!" called a voice urgently. An unmasked Ace ran up to Yao in a panicked state. "Sire, are you all right?"

Yao, feeling less nervous now that he could see the man's face, replied, "Another Joker was here. He tried to take me."

"Come this way," the Ace said. He waved out at the far end of the castle. "Ace Morgens is with the King and Queen."

"They are safe then?" Yao asked breathless. The adrenaline that had burst in his heart was starting to subside.

"Yes, sire. I am to escort you to safety. Please, this way."

Relieved to hear the good news, Yao followed the man. Servants were ushered into protective quarters and sentries were summoned with war mages to scan the perimeter. The bells were still ringing. These were all procedures of a war defense maneuver. As Alfred said, with the Jokers on the move, it might as well be.

The Ace and Yao went deeper in the castle until they reached the furthest recesses. The Pearl was triangular in the back, coming to a point at the sea where a small marina tethered a boat for the Family. It made for a perfect getaway should the Family ever need to flee.

Yao turned to the Ace, concerned. "Are we abandoning the castle?"

"Yes, sire," the Ace replied. "King Alfred has deemed the Queen's safety compromised. For that we are to take the sea and head west. We are to take refuse in the England County Castle."

The castle in England is, next to the America castle, the most heavily fortified residence in Spades. Built during the Fourth Reign, it stands as one of the oldest buildings in Spades, second only to the Palace in the Capital. If the China County castle of the Second Reign still stood, it would be third. The castle was protected on all sides by a natural defense: sea to the back, dense forest surrounding in, and tall mountains with horrid weather just outside the town limits. The white sea walls were too steep to scale making attack and invasion near impossible. If that wasn't enough, the castle itself was large and foreboding with dark black walls and high archery towers at each cardinal point. The Fourth Family rarely had a time of peace as they were constantly under the threat of invasion from Diamonds.

Upon reaching the docks, Yao was met with gloomy skies of impending rain, making the water turn grey and become choppy. He frowned in uneasiness. A long ship waited for them, tethered in the ominous looking ocean. It tossed it bout too easily to look completely safe. Nevertheless the Ace ushered Yao onto the boat and shoved him the way to the quarters he was to share with Alfred and Arthur.

It was an ornate cabin. Everything was made of oak from the solid dining table with hand carved Spades along the legs, to the matching chairs with blue cushions, to the exquisite beds that sat in recessed enclosures against the walls. Draperies of purple and blue hung from the ceiling, matching the sheer curtains that were parted before an expansive bay window overlooking the back of the ship and out to the ocean. That was where Yao found Alfred and Arthur.

"Arthur! Alfred!" Yao ran to them with the stress slipping off his back.

Arthur was sitting on the bench in the bay window, looking out at the sea. Upon hearing Yao, he turned to stare at him. However, Alfred met Yao first, hugging him tightly. "We were so worried for you!"

"I saw another Joker," Yao explained. "A young boy. He tried to take me away."

Alfred's grip on Yao tightened as he furrowed his brow. "What…? Why? Aren't they after Arthur?"

"What did he look like?" Arthur asked suddenly. Yao regarded Arthur's question first.

"He was a young, fair child. He just laughed at me."

"Did he have an accent like mine?"

Yao hesitated. "If you know the answer, you should not need to ask it."

Arthur didn't turn away from the window. A shrill bell from above signaled their departure. The boat, already swaying in the current, began to rock to and fro. Yao forgot his question when he felt the immediate effects of rough waves. He felt weary, wobbling on the spot.

Alfred noticed Yao's sudden change and steered him to his bed. "Let's talk once we get some food in our stomachs." Alfred watched Arthur carefully for a moment. "I think we all need a bit to calm down."

Shortly afterwards the trio's servants arrived. They fretted about the Family's wellbeing. Im Young pulled Yao away to be put in a bath, hoping it would help his frayed nerves. Tolys and Long were dismissed to put in an order for food, leaving Alfred and Arthur alone together since Yao's appearance. Something, however, settled between them, creating a suffocating rift. It was as if they weren't even in the same room together.

Alfred's mind spiraled downwards into suspicious and poisonous what-if scenarios that betrayed his trust in his new boyfriend. Arthur's lack of communication made the situation all the more uncomfortable. Of course, Alfred could freely ask his Queen about what he might know, but fear of the answer drove him away from even attempting it. Arthur might grow angry at him, and the rift would linger long past tonight. Alfred didn't know if their relationship would withstand the test of a possible argument breaking out from this.

Yao eventually returned with more color to his face. He lied down until dinner arrived. The Family sat together in awkward silence with Alfred at the head, Arthur to his right and Yao to his left. They had left so suddenly which made it difficult for the kitchens to stock up on the regular amount of food for the more grand cuisine the men were used to. It was enough to last them the two day journey, but the portion size had drastically shrunk compared to that at the castle.

While picking at this food, Alfred would sent furtive glances Arthur's way now and again. Arthur was a master of his emotions when he truly wanted to be. He calmly ate his meal the same delicate way he always did back home. It made Alfred that much more irritated.

"That's it!" Alfred exclaimed. Yao and Arthur looked at him in surprise. Alfred pointed his fork at Arthur. "Tell us what you know!"

Arthur hesitated. First he stared at Alfred, and then at Yao. Yao was studying him carefully in anticipation for what he would say. Finally, he sighed and put his fork to the side of his plate. Before directly addressing Alfred, he returned his attention to Yao. "Did you look into our family history?"

Yao, still looking a little under the weather, shook his head. "It never crossed my mind."

"The Kirkland line comes from the First Reign," Arthur started. "Things were different then, as you said Yao. Peter Kirkland was the first Ace of Spades. He rose to the status at the age of thirteen."

"Thirteen?" Alfred interjected. "How the hell could he raise the axe?"

Yao answered for Arthur. "Children were already seen as adults by the time they were ten. They also lived much shorter life spans, so Peter would be considered a young man by that time."

Arthur continued, "Sadly he vanished from our line and our family, having already risen to noble rank, stayed out of any form of royalty and political business ever again."

"Are you saying that Joker was Peter?" Yao asked in aghast. "He looked as if he hadn't aged a day!"

Arthur shook his head. "I'm suggesting that he is using my ancestor's face as a façade possibly as a way to confuse us. Peter vanished from the line probably due to a war."

"Not the incident," Yao said slowly, sounding unconvinced. "It all seems rather…convenient."

Alfred looked satisfied enough, but he hated having to be suspicious of Arthur. It just didn't feel right to let panic overtake his minds and to doubt everything Arthur said. He wanted to trust him. He had to. Otherwise, what would Arthur really be to him, and, in return, what would Alfred be towards Arthur? But now he thought of what else Arthur could be hiding and the reasons why Arthur hid everything in the first place. Before today, Alfred knew he didn't know a lot of Arthur's life, but now it just felt like a real stab to his heart.

Yao excused himself a short while later. He stumbled to his bed, closing the curtains around him. That left Alfred alone with Arthur once again. The men avoided each other, preferring to listen to the creaking of the ship than their desire to talk.

It was Alfred who spoke first. "Is there more you would like to share?"

Arthur bit his lower lip. For a moment he thought of telling him of the strange visions, but there was no way he could connect that to the Jokers. He doubted Alfred could understand it if he said anything. Even he didn't understand the phenomena. It was best not to let Alfred worry more.

"No," Arthur finally said. He caught the disappointed look in Alfred's eyes. "I'm sorry I kept this from you, but I didn't think it was imperative for you to know. Even I didn't know what use it to be until Yao described the Joker. Please don't be mad, Alfred. We are both already quite upset over the kidnapping ordeal and…my potential danger, so our tempers are flared more than usual. We should retire early."

Before Alfred had a chance to argue, Arthur had turned and left. He climbed into bed and shut the curtains. Alfred stood where he was with a pained expression from the abrupt way Arthur ended the conversation. Instead of going to bed, however, Alfred dressed for sleep and then disturbed Arthur.

"Alfred?" Arthur hissed, pulling the covers up over himself. "What in the world?"

Alfred pushed Arthur over, joining him in bed, and settled himself right next to the Queen. He seemed angry, but he looped an arm around Arthur far too intimately to be truly upset. Arthur blushed, struggling to get away from, but Alfred held firm. The man's strange and aggressive behavior was scaring Arthur.

Finally, Alfred stopped when he could look Arthur directly in the eyes. "I don't want us to ever go to bed mad with each other. Talk to me."

Arthur huffed, refusing to look as flustered as he truly was. "What is there to talk about? I have already said my peace."

Alfred sighed. "Why can't you just talk to me about how you feel?"

"I don't feel anything other than tiredness," Arthur grumbled. "I think it is you who needs to talk. You're acting rather strange. I know this ordeal is…upsetting, but you do not need to be this… this way with me."

"I don't want you out of my sight," Alfred said sternly. "Not with… If I hadn't been with you those Jokers could have taken you…"

"Is that why you're so upset?" Arthur asked quietly. He relaxed in Alfred's hold, and then felt him tighten his arms around him.

"You're acting strange too," Alfred whispered.

"I'm scared… All the Queens… I'm next… And this incident…" Arthur curled in closer to Alfred. "It's so…"

"No." Alfred kissed Arthur on the lips suddenly. He kept his eyes closed as he pressed his forehead to Arthur's. "I won't let any harm come to you. You're here, in my arms, tight and safe. They can't get you. I promise."

For the briefest of moments Arthur was compelled to say something. He opened his mouth, closed it, and then opened it again. Sadly, he had to settle with, "Thank you…"

Together they fell asleep with fluttering hearts and hyper-sensitive senses. Any movement or sound or change in light caused Alfred to lift his head and look back over his shoulder. He'd squint through the sheer curtains in anticipation, waiting for a Joker to jump out. When nothing happened, he'd return to sleep, resting his head atop Arthur's once more.

It remained that way all night long, and when morning came Alfred didn't hasten to get up when the servants came in. Yao was just as slow, but when the ship rocked violently to the side suddenly, he woke up and rushed to the bathroom.

Alfred stretched and yawned. "G'morning Arthur."

There came no response. In fact, Arthur wasn't even there. Alfred bolted upright and searched through the blankets. He jumped out of bed, nearly ripping the curtains off as ran out. He looked at the table, staring at Alfred with a confused expression. He wasn't at the window where his eyes glowed from the sun behind him, making him look so radiantly beautiful. He wasn't hiding behind a corner with a mischievous smile ready to tease Alfred for his overreaction.

He was just gone. Vanished. Taken.

Somewhere along the line the alarm had been raised and Yao tried to talk to Alfred, but to no avail. He stared at the bed where Arthur should be.

* * *

><p><em>Hoshiko2<em>'s cents: Oh dear me! Where ever has our Arthur gone?

I have an ask blog! It's on tumblr under 2kokoro(.)tumblr(.)com. Come and ask me or any of my characters a question! :D


	13. Act 1 Part 13

_Tick. Tock. Tick. Tock._

Arthur felt his heavy head before the rest of his body, and then when he felt his hands and feet he knew they were tied. Alarms rang in his head, screaming at him to open his eyes; this was not how he had fallen asleep. Last night he was tucked safely against Alfred's chest, his warm arms protectively holding him, and the reassuring heartbeat in his ear. However, his eyes refused to open.

Moaning he forced his eyelids to crack open just enough in hopes this was all a dream. But upon seeing giant cogs turning in a darkened room, he knew that it wasn't. The area was case in shadows from light that barely filtered through the dark. Where the light came from, Arthur couldn't tell. The space seemed to stretch to an impossible length.

"Are you awake, Arthur?" That sounded like the Queen of Clubs. Arthur shifted in hopes of being able to see her, but he didn't get too far. His restraints and sluggish body prevented him from moving much.

"Elizaveta?" he asked in a raspy voice. "Where are we?"

"The Land of the Jokers," came the Queen of Hearts' voice. "You, like us, have been drugged and kidnapped. The effects will wear off soon."

"What am I doing here?" Arthur asked. The Queens sounded close, but until he saw them he couldn't be sure if he could trust just sound alone. Yao had once said that this this land didn't follow anything that should make sense like physics. For all he knew, they could be separated into different realms even.

"We've been wondering the same thing," the Queen of Diamonds said. "We've been here for a while."

"How long have we been missing?" Kiku asked.

"Elizaveta was taken three days ago," Arthur said. When no one replied he grew concerned. "Did you not know?"

He was met by tense silence. At length, Elizaveta whispered, "No."

"How could you now know?" Arthur asked incredulously. "Have the Jokers not fed you and have you not slept since your imprisonment?"

"We're not hungry and we haven't felt sleepy," Kiku replied.

"No laws, not even those of physics," Arthur repeated under his breath. "Even time is chaotic here."

"Arthur, do you know why we're here?" Elizaveta asked.

By now, Arthur's head had cleared. He opened his eyes fully and was able to take in all of his surroundings. He had somehow missed the colors illuminating his clothes and the near vicinity. Hanging in the air above his head were four arched stained glass windows. Directly over Arthur was a blue one with the Spades motif at the top in the center, a black line going down the center of the pane, branching off to separate the glass into sections. The design of the glass was of a woman with angel wings shrouded in a blue and white toga and wearing a helmet that covered her face. She held a sword that looked eerily like Alfred's own, and beside her was the Queen's Clock. Arthur shivered at seeing this, his mind swimming to blur his vision, and he had to look away.

The other stained glasses were of other women. There was a green stained glass for Clubs that had a similar framing to Spades, only the design was a woman with a headdress sitting and holding a staff that looked like King Ivan's staff. Diamonds design was of a woman with a flowing dress that seemed to turn into a flower. Hearts' design, however, disturbed Arthur. The woman was holding a short dagger in one hand and a man's decapitated head in the other.

Quickly he looked down to see what he was lying on instead. It was hard and very uncomfortable, but flat. It was glass, he noticed, but what he saw first was that under the glass was the Queen's Clock. And it was ticking.

"Are you all with your items?" Arthur asked quietly. He vaguely recalled what they all were; Elizaveta had the Clubs sword, Lily had a flower-shaped wand, and Kiku had the Hearts Ball.

"Yes," Lily replied.

"How did the Jokers get my clock?" Arthur wondered aloud.

"The same easy way we kidnapped you! By breaking and entering!" The Jokers' laugh somehow filled the void.

First their masks faded into view, floating in mid-air, and then their bodies followed shortly after. The smaller Joker wore a white mask with black, upside-down half-moons for eyes, and a red, upside-down half-moon for a mouth. The taller Joker had the same colors, but the eyes and mouth looked happier as they were facing upwards instead. The two wore red and black outfits with what looked like devil tails wrapping around their legs. Arthur squinted and swore he saw what looked like goat ears on the taller Joker.

Fighting off the instinct to recoil into himself from fear, Arthur tried to keep a straight face and hold a strong presence before the Jokers. The smaller Joker noticed Arthur and flew closer to him. He was wearing a black hat with pointy ears and bits of blonde hair peeked out from underneath the rim.

"So! Your Jack thinks we pulled you together for a second coming of the Incident," he said. Arthur wasn't surprised the Joker knew so much already. "He's a fool."

"Knows too much, but understands too little." The older Joker laughed.

"Then why are we here?" Arthur growled.

The small Joker turned to float upside down, but his hat and hair didn't fall out of place. "You'll see. Adults have to be patient."

"We're patient."

"Been waiting for long."

"So long. Getting anxious."

"Crazy!"

The Jokers laughed manically in unison. "Yes! Crazy!"

Suddenly they stopped. Their laughter died in the still space. None of the Queens spoke, holding their breath for the Jokers to continue even though they made so little sense. It was haunting to see their limp forms floating in the space without even eyes to look into.

"So lonely," the taller Joker murmured. His tone was now solemn as if he might cry.

"So lost!"

"Will we ever die?"

"What will happen to us?"

"I miss her…"

The Jokers stopped talking then. They froze again as if they were a broken machine. Again, the Queens remained silent as they tried to digest what the Jokers had just said. Were they lonely and confused, driven mad, or simply insane? And who was this "her" the taller Joker had mentioned? The two bounced off of each other so rapidly as they spoke, it was hard to tell who said what.

Then, as if they were being wound up by a spring, they came back to life.

"The Queen of Heart, the Queen of Earth, the Queen of Gem, and the Queen of Death," the taller Joker started lowly. "So devoid of your true powers- stolen by that thief."

"Horrid woman."

"Gone insane."

"Killed so many!"

"Make some bloody sense!" Arthur shouted suddenly. "I'm tired of your prattling! Why are we here?! If you wanted to kill us you could have done so already. What are your intentions?"

The Jokers flew up higher into the air, but never seemed to get any closer to the massive arched windows above. "Who says you're important?! Perhaps you're not! Wait and see you impatient Queen!"

Then they were gone.

* * *

><p>The ship docked at the Dover Harbor early in the morning. Citizens waited at the docks to welcome the Family, unaware of the Queen's kidnapping. Ace Morgens went ahead to deliver the shocking news, effectively erasing any desire for there to be a celebration. All Numbers bowed their heads in joined silence as the King and Jack stepped off the ship and made their way to the awaiting carriage.<p>

England County, Arthur's home county. Once, Alfred had been excited to pay it a visit, but to be here now, without Arthur, twisted his insides to an excruciating pain. He almost couldn't breathe seeing all the green; so close to Arthur's eyes. He heard the people speak and thought fondly of Arthur's accent. A strong scent of tea mixed with the ocean mist permeated the air.

Alfred kept his composure for the Numbers that watched him carefully. Yao was wary as he sat across from him in the carriage. He was overly anxious of the King. The man's tension was palpable, and Yao was unsure whether the man would explode in anger or collapse in tears. His extreme and sudden withdrawal into himself was frightening. Even Morgens and Tolys treaded carefully around him, fearful of his reactions.

Upon arriving at the castle, Yao ordered Alfred to be taken to his chambers to rest. Alfred then sprang back to life. "No. Prepare my horses."

"S-sire?" Tolys looked to Yao for help.

The Jack frowned at Alfred, stepping forward to place a hand on his shoulder. "Alfred, where will you go? You can't just run off wherever in hopes of finding Arthur."

"I'm going to Diamonds," Alfred replied quickly. "They're our strongest alley. If we work together with the other kingdoms we'll have a much better chance at finding the Queens."

Yao nearly laughed at Alfred's proposal, but he was more scared by the fact he knew Alfred was serious. "Alfred," he started.

"There's no stopping me, Yao," Alfred interjected. "I'm going. All the other kingdoms have information-clues- that can help us find everyone. Diamonds has Vash, a master at drawing up war plans and gathering tactical information. Hearts has books that detail the First Reign far better than ours. And Ivan has assured me that they have a map of the Land of the Jokers."

Yao sighed, frustrated knowing he was unable to persuade the King. "Alfred, I want Arthur back too… but think logically."

"I am." Alfred put a hand on Yao's shoulder. "You must come with me."

"Me?!" Yao shook his head, trying to retreat away. Alfred held firm. "I couldn't possibly leave the kingdom when it's in this state! I have nothing to offer!"

Alfred smiled, almost looking back to his old self. "You're the most important piece. You can string it all together and you can read old Hoylian. The smartest Number in Hoyle. Please Yao."

"Aiyah!" Yao jerked away from Alfred. He began to pace around the hallway, muttering Mandarin. Alfred, Morgens, and the servants watched nervously. His reaction was almost as startling as Alfred's had been a moment ago. But he was wasting precious time, and this frustrated Alfred all the more.

Finally, Ace Morgens stepped forward to stop Yao. "Go and make sure the King does nothing foolish. I will stay to protect the realm as the duty will fall to me when the Family is out of the kingdom. The Family must stay together."

Yao recalled the night before their Coronation. It was so long ago and yet felt as fresh as if he were still there. The nerves in his stomach made him too uncomfortable to sleep. It seemed Alfred and Arthur were just as apprehensive. Alfred had made that promise that Yao had agreed to; their unexpected bond. A prejudiced Two, a Three that wished to be an Eight, and a half-One that pulled them all together. Yao wish he could say he was surprised by the outcome, especially the romance that blossomed between the King and Queen, but really he saw all of it coming together from the very first day.

He had never said anything and never showed much for it, but that night had been the most important one of his life. He finally felt accepted, even by Arthur who first looked at him with such disdain. That promise echoed in his heart. He hated thinking of Arthur alone somewhere, possibly injured or very frightened, and he couldn't stand seeing Alfred so broken.

"Yong Soo," Yao said. His servant eagerly jumped to his side. "Fetch my horses."

The smile Alfred gave in return was full of more gratitude than Yao had ever given someone before in his life. He only hoped he wouldn't let his King, and his friend, down.

* * *

><p>Diamonds was not the same as it had been all those months ago when the Spades Family first toured it. It could have been because of the Family's sudden announcement of their visit that caught the Numbers off guard, or it was the kingdom's depression at the kidnapping of their beloved Queen Lily. Either way there was a much greyer hue to the normally glittering city.<p>

Yao and Alfred hadn't expected the same kind of fanfare they had received months ago, but to see what was once a bustling city become a ghost town startled them. They were able to ride their horses straight to the palace without any interference from Numbers wishing to welcome them. They weren't even received by the Ace or any higher Aces, rather just a knight ushered them into the palace.

The Royal Family were in the Throne Room, but seemed in no hurry to address Alfred and Yao's appearance into their kingdom. Vash was pouring over maps and parchments, and there were smudge marks all over his arms and face as he scribbled furiously into the paper. Francis stalked around nearby, glancing over at his Jack now and again, but only talked to Twos that were present to help the Family. He looked frazzled with his hair sticking out at odd ends and his beard thicker than normal, possibly from lack of the normal attention he'd pay to keeping up his appearance. When Alfred and Yao entered, the King and Jack took their time acknowledging them.

"Welcome King and Jack of Spades," Francis said hurriedly. "It is always a pleasure to have you, but we are too busy to talk. Please, if you wish to stay we regret to inform you that we will not be able to have you."

"Please hear me out," Alfred started. "Yao and I have come up with a plan. If all the kingdoms work together, we can find the Queens much faster."

Vash looked up angrily. "Do you think we are unable to find my sister on our own?!"

"No," Alfred replied. "That's not what we're trying to prove. This isn't about pride. We all have pieces that can work together to find the Queens whereabouts."

Francis considered Alfred. "I'm sorry, but unless you have proof that this could work, I will have to decline. As you know, Diamonds is having financial crisis at the moment. I don't want to involve my kingdom in any affairs that could potentially make the situation worse."

Alfred shook his head. "No Francis, this wouldn't be with an army or anything. Just you and your Jack. It'd be easiest."

Vash slapped down his quill, his eyebrow twitching in anger. "That's enough! You think this is funny, like some game?! My sister and your boyfriend are out there, and we can't just march in unprotected against Jokers that we know nothing about! Those things could kill us!"

"If they wanted to kill us, or the Queens, they could have done so long ago," Yao said suddenly. He stepped to stand beside Alfred, staring Vash in the eyes. "I believe the Jokers have pulled all the Queens together for a second coming of the Incident, just like what happened in the First Reign. They have taken Arthur and might do something to him and to the other Queens, but I don't think it's necessarily death. Nevertheless, the faster we get there, the better."

"But we don't know anything about them!" Vash yelled. "If we run in there will all the Kings and all of the Jacks, we'd be walking into a booby trap! You don't think the Jokers want that? Have you thought that maybe that's why they kidnapped _all_ of the Queens? If they wanted your Queen so bad, why did they get him last?"

"I'd do anything to get Arthur back," Alfred said suddenly in earnest. It made Vash sigh and he backed off slightly.

"Your Highness, with all due respect, I too would like for your Queen to return to you. I want my sister back as well, and I'm certain Jack Roderich would like his wife back and the Hearts Family want Queen Kiku home safely, but that is no reason for us all to rush into things."

Francis nodded with his Jack. "If you can prove to us you won't let this operation fail then we will consider listening to what you have to say. Right now we remain unconvinced."

Alfred nodded and then turned to leave. Yao hesitated in following, unsure of what had just transpired, but he was quick to catch up to his King. They didn't speak to each other as they left the palace. Their horses were fetched and they were off.

"Alfred!" Yao called when they had left the capital behind. "What do we do now?!"

"We have to convince Ludwig and Ivan! If we can get them, then we can get to Vash! We need all the pieces!"

* * *

><p><em>Tick. Tock. Tick. Tock.<em>

Arthur continued to struggle with his bonds. He hated the feeling of restraint around his wrists. If he could free just one hand he could use magic to free himself and the other Queens. The lack of time and space didn't help his nerves. He constantly felt uneasy at the lack of normalcy, mainly that the Queen's Clock was now working. The constant ticking in his ears made him realize time truly was moving, but it wasn't affecting them at all. He felt no hunger and no fatigue, but that didn't stop him from telling himself he _should_ be feeling it.

The other Queens were surprisingly quiet; too quiet for Arthur's sake. He had to break the silence.

"The others will come for us," Arthur said suddenly.

"Yes, I know," Elizaveta said softly. "I know my husband will come for me."

"My brother has a plan already written up," Lily said in a high-pitched voice. Arthur worried she was starting to lose her nerves.

"But how will they find us?" Kiku asked.

"We have a map in my kingdom," Elizaveta answered. "I'm certain they're using that to find their way here."

"That map is in old Hoylian, isn't it?" Arthur asked. "Only my Jack can read Hoylian."

Elizaveta chuckled. "There's no way Ivan would work with your King."

At the thought of Alfred, Arthur's heart thumped painfully in his chest. He didn't want to think about Alfred and had forced the image and memory of his King from his head to help ease the pain. But that clock made him realize that it had been over twenty-four hours since they had been together. Alfred was probably tormenting himself over this entire issue. He only hoped the man would stop agonizing over all this to actually get up and do something.

"Oh, Arthur, I never got to say congratulations," Kiku said suddenly. "We only wrote, but I had wanted to say it to your face upon hearing of yours and Alfred's courtship."

"Yes! Congratulations!" Elizaveta exclaimed.

"It's so cute!" Lily chimed in. "You two are cute together. Alfred watched you so closely when you played the violin, my King predicted it would only be a matter of time."

Arthur flushed. There went the idea of keeping Alfred from his mind. His face and that smile and those eyes were so tantalizingly close. He smiled despite the grim situation, and for a moment forgot that he was kidnapped in a strange land. He looked up at the blue glass above him, having already memorized it, and thought the blue was a perfect shade of the King's eyes.

"Thank you," he murmured with a flushed face.

"Who confessed first?" Elizaveta asked. The other two Queens laughed at Arthur's shocked reaction. "What? I'm curious!"

"I-it just…kind of happened…," Arthur muttered. "He…he kissed me on his birthday…"

Elizaveta and Lily squealed happily. Kiku was heard chuckling. "Oh that's great! I'm so happy for you two!"

"Th-thank you," Arthur said. His smile was widening, and slowly the pain ebbed away in his heart.

Suddenly, the taller Joker appeared before Arthur's very eyes. "Love can cost you."

Arthur erased his smile instantly and glared at the Joker. "What would you know about s-such things?"

The Joker's emotionless face covered by the mask continued to stare at Arthur, but his hesitation did make for Arthur to wonder what he really did know. He had mentioned a woman earlier.

"Love will cost you."

The clocks ticked off in the background, echoing the cogs in Arthur's head. If he had to guess, the Jokers have been watching them since they were first coroneted, therefore they knew about Alfred's personality. They knew his tendency to throw himself into crazy projects that could result in his getting hurt, involving others until he reached his goal. And if his goal was saving Arthur and the other Queens, then they knew that Alfred would convince the other kingdoms to join him and charge the Jokers.

Arthur gasped. "Alfred!"

* * *

><p>The kingdom of Hearts was much more lively, but not in the best of ways. Knights lined the street and shouted directions. Numbers constantly had to carry papers and were questioned when doing something a knight deemed suspicious. Almost overnight the kingdom had become a militaristic government. Alfred and Yao trotted through town at the speed they were ordered to ride on their horses. It seemed no one cared if they were a visiting Family.<p>

Entry into the palace proved difficult. Alfred tried to show that he truly was the King of Spades, showing the paperwork that he paid a messenger ahead of time to alert the Hearts Family, and showing his King's Watch. Finally, Ace Carriedo made an appearance and cleared up the confusion. He ushered them inside hastily.

"Our deepest apologies," Antonio started, but Alfred waved him off.

"It's fine. We understand the situation, but this is an urgent call to the King and Jack."

Yao looked at Antonio nervously. He wasn't taking them anywhere near where they should be meeting with the Family. Perhaps he thought he could distract them.

"Yes, yes, but they are temporarily detained at the moment," Antonio started.

Alfred stopped, causing Yao to bump into his back. Antonio hesitated. He wasn't sure if he should speak or not, but he looked incredibly stressed for this situation. Alfred pitied the Ace knowing full well he was in charge of dealing with the other Aces and the Family, and he was probably as exhausted as they were, but he refused to be distracted so easily.

"Ace Carriedo, I respect your desire to protect your Family, but we are here to offer our assistance. If we could please speak with them, we could be of use! Now, I will not leave until I have spoken to the King and Jack!"

Yao was impressed, if not a little surprised. He knew Alfred was adamant about finding Arthur, but he didn't know the man would go so far as to break down all formalities. He only hoped he didn't insult the Kings.

Antonio either was too stressed, shocked, or nervous to argue. Either way, he led Alfred and Yao back towards the center of the castle where they knew Ludwig and Feliciano were writing up plans to get Kiku back. Thinking of his friend made Alfred's temperament worsen. This entire thing had become far too personal.

The Throne Room was a complete disaster room. Kin g Ludwig was barking orders at all the Twos bustling about the room, and startling his Jack in the process. Jack Feliciano looked out of place as he waffled in place, looking at Ludwig and then to the floor, to a Two and then back to the floor. Upon seeing Alfred and Yao, however, he raced to them in relief.

"_Ciao!_ We were hoping you would come for a visit!" Feliciano said quickly. He pulled both the King and Jack further into the room. "You must be thirsty! You're probably tired! I can make you some pasta and get you some water!"

Yao voiced he'd like some water, but Alfred wasted no time in jumping straight to the point. "Please, we have to talk to you and the King. It's an urgent matter."

Feliciano looked over at Ludwig warily. "I don't know. He doesn't seem willing to talk to anyone for help."

"But we could help you find Kiku faster! We'd already gotten Diamonds on our side, and we're going to ask Clubs to join us too."

Yao frowned at Alfred's lie, but he didn't say anything about it. Instead he thought of changing directions with this approach. Feliciano was already visibly shaken up over the matter, and Ludwig's and Alfred's short tempers were making the situation worse. He calmly pushed Alfred aside to face the other Jack.

"Your Highness, if I may ask that you show us to your library? Alfred feels your records of the First Reign could prove useful."

Feliciano relaxed immediately. His cheery smile returned and he nodded vigorously. "This way!"

The Library of Hearts was almost as small as Diamonds'. Only a small amount of records were stored in there, and it was hardly kept up after. It made for their search all the more easier as the First Reign records were carelessly left in a case with the scrolls in truly an unkempt disarray. Yao had a minor cringe, but he shoved aside the cobwebs and cradled the frail paperwork in his arms.

"Why are they so poorly taken care of?" Yao asked in shock. "These records are about to fall apart!"

Feliciano shrugged. "No one in my family could ever read them. I don't think anyone in Ludwig or Kiku's could either."

Yao moved to the tables nearby, spreading out the scrolls, and began reading them. Alfred and Feliciano hovered nearby. They didn't dare speak for fear of Yao's wrath. He always hated being interrupted. Eventually they stepped out to have a moment to breath.

"Alfred," Feliciano started. "Did you really get the King of Diamonds on your side to go to the Jokers?"

Alfred looked at him, but didn't acknowledge his question. "If we can get Vash, your records, and Ivan's map, we can find the Jokers and possibly figure all of this out so we can rescue the Queens."

Feliciano's eyes widened and a hesitant smile hovered on his lips. "Do you…really think we can do this?"

"We?"

"Yes! We're coming with you! Ludwig can help fight!"

Alfred frowned at this. "I hadn't planned on you all…actually coming…"

"You think Ludwig will just let you take these records without a deal being made?" Not Feliciano's smile came out, his eyes crinkling at the corners, and his head tilting to the side just slightly. Alfred gulped, suddenly feeling nervous to have faced the Jack. He probably would've been better off with the King instead.

* * *

><p>King Ivan and Jack Roderich were much easier to reach. The kingdom had been sealed, but news still traveled. Having already heard about the proposition made to Diamonds and the agreement made with Hearts, Clubs now sat and waited to see what Spades could use to offer. Yao had brought along the scrolls with him, claiming he needed the map to make sense of everything. He clutched them to his chest as if they were jewels. Alfred worried about him; the Jack kept muttering to himself in Mandarin again.<p>

Clubs was warmer now that it was summer. Spades had visited towards the end of their spring when the snow was finally melting away. Alfred almost didn't recognize it. The city had looked so dark and gloomy in winter with the cobbled streets covered under the snow, the buildings closed up and covered by steam pumping out of the smokestacks. But today, here in the sun, it was gleaming with gold and green. Alfred's heart thundered in his chest to see how much green had been hidden away all those months ago. Had Arthur been there with him now, he'd have loved to have seen the true beauty of Clubs appear.

Numbers stopped to stare, surprised to see not only the King and Jack of Spades, but the King and Jack of Hearts as well. They had no protection, no Aces, no knights, but everyone could tell they were not someone to charge and attack. The four men had all lost someone important to them and there was a cold, steel look to their eyes.

The Clubs Family greeted Alfred and his entourage at the gates. The gates behind them were closed as Roderich and Ivan stood together to greet everyone. Ivan was fully dressed in his King attire and he was holding the Icy Staff of Clubs. Roderich was dressed as well and holding the reigns to two horses.

Alfred stopped, looking between them and the horses. "Are you… um… Coming with us?"

"_Da_," Ivan replied happily. "We have the map you need. We want to come too."

"Okay." Yao moved his horse to trot forward and he held his hand out towards Ivan.

The King shook his head. "No, I can read Hoyalian too. We come to make sure you don't steal this."

Yao frowned, retracting his hand. Crossing his arms in offense, he grumbled, "It's understandable to not trust us, but to go so far as to…"

"We're wasting time. Should we get back and tell Francis we're ready?" Ludwig began turning his horse around.

"He's right, Yao," Alfred said. He moved his horse to stand next to Yao's. He put a hand on his friend's shoulder. "We can't put pride before this. Arthur and the other Queens are more important. You're welcome to join us, King Ivan and Jack Roderich."

"Good!" Ivan and Roderich mounted their horses. On his upswing into his saddle, Yao caught a glance of a holster under Ivan's jacket. That must've been where the map was secured. "Let's head back."

Alfred turned and, after waiting for Yao to follow, all three kings headed back towards Diamonds. He had thought that Ivan would be the hardest, but somehow everything that flipped around this past week. And after three long days of running to three different kingdoms, he was done being polite and sensible. Right now he wanted to bust down some doors with his sword at the ready and find Arthur.

When this was all over he knew exactly what he wanted to do; close himself off from the world with just Arthur, go back to England County, and maybe fall asleep holding Arthur once more to make everything right when they woke up and he was right there.

_They always say distance makes the heart grow fonder._

Arthur looked up, expecting the Jokers, but saw no one.

* * *

><p><em>Hoshiko2<em>'s cents: Two chapters left. Next chapter will be a fun battle! Hope to see you then! Sorry for the delay. I was going to update the next Interlude chapter with Clubs, but it wasn't going well and I couldn't keep it going.

Also, I have an AO3 account. It's under hoshiko2 (or hoshiko2kokoro). Please feel free to follow me there as well.

Please note that the image of the Queens is inspired by this picture: pixiv (dot net slash) member_illust. php?mode=medium&illust_id=17782029


	14. Act 1 Part 14

The ticking drove him mad. The grinding of the gears, the longing and impatience in his heart, knowing that four days had now passed without desire to sleep and eat, that Alfred was out there, looking for them and possibly about to risk his life; it all was sending his mind downwards into insanity. He had to speak to someone. The Queens liked to stay silent for whatever reason. After memorizing the glass windows above to the point he could see them with his eyes closed, he thought he might have finally understood their meaning.

"Ladies and Kiku, these are the First Queens above us, yes?" Arthur asked. "I don't recall the Queen of Hearts having beheaded anyone in our histories."

"Me either," Kiku said softly. "I know the first Queen was a rather tenacious woman with a fiery temper. She matched the King's."

"How will they get here?" Lily cried out suddenly, her tone on the edge of hysterical. Her soft sobs echoed in the empty space.

"Now now, Lily," Arthur soothed gently. "Remember I told you my Alfred will be working with the other Kings and Jacks to save us."

Elizaveta began giggling and even Kiku let a chuckle escape. "How cute. You called him _your_ Alfred."

Arthur flushed and squirmed. He was grateful the other Queens couldn't see him. He hadn't meant to say that, having always referred to him as "my King", but thoughts of Alfred had caused his name to slip out. It seemed to have helped ease Lily of her panic. She had dissolved into giggling with Elizaveta as well.

Arthur cleared his throat. "Y-yes well, in any case... Alfred is going to work with the other kingdoms. I know it."

"How do you figure this?" Elizaveta asked, her tone still light from laughing. "Ivan won't be keen on agreeing to any alliance with Spades."

"Because each of us are incredibly close to either our Jack or King in our kingdoms. They're all emotionally compromised. If one won't budge, the other will try to persuade them. Of this I am certain with your husband, Elizaveta, and with your brother, Lily."

"He has a point," Kiku agreed. "While I am close to both my King and Jack, I'm sure Feliciano will use whatever means to make Ludwig ally with Spades."

"The first four kingdom alliance," Lily whispered. "You should be proud of your King, Arthur. He's managed to do something no other king has in history."

"All for love," Kiku murmured with a teasing tone. The girls giggled sending Arthur's face aflame and a sputtered reaction.

"S-surely we are not in love! We have only courted for less than a month!"

"It's about you feel with someone," Elizaveta said, speaking from experience. "If the time comes to say it to Alfred, don't hesitate."

* * *

><p>The Land of the Jokers was in a pit that was covered in mist. Or so Ivan described. He had kept the map leading to the mystic land hidden in his pocket. Yao tried to stealthily sneak a glance or two at the old parchment, but Ivan was quicker. He'd notice these little attempts and then carefully hide it away in his jacket, sending Yao a challenging smile. And it wasn't like Yao had any inclinations of getting close to a man like <em>that<em>.

Alfred wasn't making anything easier. He was all for charging in, saying his plan of attack was to simply just attack, and rescue his Queen. That was all fine and dandy, but everyone agree it was impossible to go forward with such a mindset. The Jokers were notorious for their schemes and tricks, and being on their home turf only made it that much easier for booby-traps to capture or kill them. And with all the Kings and Queens and Jacks present, there was no room for error when it involved their life.

Vash was given limitless amounts of scrolls when he left Diamonds, taking his trusty musket, the only one in all of Hoyle. It was not the Jack of Diamonds' traditional weapon, but everyone saw it hardly fitting that a man so intent on explosions and ruthless fighting by left with a simple rope as his weapon. Vash was not a man to detain, but a man of action. Often times he would be left alone to his own devices in his tent he shared with the King, only coming out to ask questions that helped in his planning.

"Can't we help?" Feliciano had asked meekly. The glare Vash gave him had been a suitable enough answer.

To pass the time, Alfred practiced with Francis in his sword fighting. Where Alfred was tough and rugged in his style, Francis was more delicate and certain of each step he took. He was much quicker at evading, spinning just out of the way of any of Alfred's advances, and then faster at catching Alfred off guard. The other Families watched out of sheer boredom, but eventually the other two Kings joined. It made for good practice.

They didn't make teams, preferring to keep it a free for all. Ivan relied on his magic, Alfred and Ludwig their strength, and Francis his agility. As the impromptu fight dragged on, Vash emerged from his tent. He stopped to watch as well, studying them carefully, and then a smile formed on his lips. He rushed to Yao and Roderich's side, talking to him in a hushed voice.

The Kings were all evenly matched, surprising enough. The other Families had secretly all thought Alfred, being the youngest of the four, wouldn't be able to take on any of the others as he had never been directly involved in war or battling with other men. They had truly underestimated this fact. Spades had a long tradition of raising their Aces from Ones, Numbers already deeply immersed in physical training of all sorts. If a One didn't become a Knight or an Ace, he was to remain guard of a rich Two, sometimes influential Threes, and keep watch on the borders of the kingdom. The other kingdoms did not share in this tradition.

Diamonds, more known for keeping to the One to Ace tradition, did have a missing step to that of Spades. Their Ones, if they were not on the track to being a knight or an Ace, resigned themselves to being more like that of a Seven, a Number that did manual labor. Sevens, however, weren't seen as something degrading in Diamonds, unlike in Spades.

Sometimes Alfred would recall how his brother and mother had been mistreated for being a Ten simply for the history of where Tens emerged from. Reigns ago, Tens were slaves, and Sevens, unfortunately, were exceptionally close to that line at times. Once they were granted freedom and the chance to be their own Number system, Sevens did all they could to prove they were "better" than the now-freed slaves. It hardly worked in Spades, whereas it had in Diamonds and Clubs. Hearts never had slaves.

When Alfred fought, he drew on those old bitter memories splattered in anger and resentment with his inability to protect his family, and it gave him strength to push back both Ludwig and Ivan in splendid fashion, surprising them both. Only now, his strength was being drawn from elsewhere.

The sight of green eyes and a gentle smile drove him almost to the brink of insanity. He was standing just yards away from the Land of the Jokers where Arthur was being held captive, and just like when he was a child and unable to speak up against higher Numbers, he was to stand here and fume in impatience until the others deemed it time to go.

Suddenly, Vash called the match. "Please, join me in the tent!" His voice was lighter, almost excited. The four Kings exchanged curious looks, but then followed their Jacks into the Diamonds' tent.

Vash stood beside Yao and Roderich, all of whom looked much more confident than before. Feliciano, sadly, was left out of this, and he fidgeted on the spot beside Ludwig.

"The Jokers are brilliant idiots," Roderich began. "They may have drawn the Queens together, but they didn't take into account the Kings."

Francis brushed aside a stray hair from his face, lightly covered in perspiration. "What about us?"

"You all have something the other doesn't have," Yao replied. He gestured to the map before them. Ivan's eyes bugged at seeing it was his nap. Quickly, Yao held up a hand. "Please, your Jack provided this, your Highness."

Roderich pushed his glasses back on his face. "It was necessary for Vash's plans."

Vash nodded and hunched over the map. He hadn't drawn on, but merely placed rocks he had drawn letters upon. He pointed at the front of the area where they were situated now. Alfred noticed his had a blue K while Yao's had a blue J; the others were represented by their color and position. He began to move them into the land, and then separated them down what looked like tunnels, but were supposedly pathways. Each King and their Jack were to go through each area, and then to reconvene in the middle.

"It's not the best," Vash admitted sourly. "But given that this map doesn't allow us to know if it's inside or out, if there's an inner building, it's the best I could come up with."

Feliciano then spoke up, but he sounded close to tears. "But I'm not able to do anything! I can't help Ludwig."

His King looked at him in surprise. "What? Feli… That's not true. You'll be of great help to me."

Alfred nodded. "Yeah! You have importance! We all do."

Yao pulled out a scroll from seemingly nowhere, coughing into fist. He then began to read aloud, "Feliciano Vargas, younger twin brother to a Lovino Vargas who declined the throne, he is now the current Jack of Hearts. Best known as the most compassionate position in all of Hoyle, he is a man with an open heart, empathy, and unimaginable speed."

"Speed?" Feliciano repeated, confused. "I've never had much speed."

Yao shook his head. "Because you never saw use of it. But the Jack of Hearts is reputed to have the most speed of anyone in Hoyle. I'm certain you will be of value to your King." He then gave Feliciano a knowing smile.

Ivan snatched up his map, rolling up and putting it back in his pocket. It seemed he was done with this conversation. Alfred shared his sentiments. "C'mon. We've got our orders. Let's get going."

* * *

><p>"Arthur," Elizaveta spoke up in the silence. Again the Queens had slipped back into their own fearful minds for far too long. Arthur counted the ticks; it was seven days now. "How much does your Jack know?"<p>

"Of this situation?" he clarified. "He's hypothesized that we've been brought together for a reenactment of the Incident in the First Reign. Something that uses me and my magic as the catalyst. In the First Reign the Queens were the true rulers with the Kings more like an Ace and a Jack as a diplomat. The Queens never gathered together all at the same time. Something happened to make them, and in the process they lost their powers."

"Powers?" Lily asked.

"All the Queens originally had magical abilities. Lily, you should have the power of illusions, Elizaveta should be strong like my Al-my King, and Kiku should be able to fly. Somehow the Queen of Spades' power grew tenfold and yours evaporated."

"Sometimes I think this Incident is along the lines of the Black Lady legend," Elizaveta murmured.

"I thought as well," Kiku said.

Arthur frowned. "Who is the Black Lady?"

"You don't know the legend?" Lily asked in surprise.

"I don't believe such a tale is in our lands as I have never heard it," Arthur replied.

"It's a dark legend of a woman gone stark crazy because of a curse on her she accidentally put on herself. She begins killing large quantities of Numbers in hopes of using their souls to keep her young. It takes three goddesses to seal her away into a device that they then hide away from humanity."

"Three goddesses and one crazy woman that started a cataclysmic event. I think that coincides with the First Reigns pretty well," Kiku said. "In our records it states that your First Queen went crazy towards the end of her reign."

"Whatever for?" Arthur asked.

"The records make it unclear exactly. Loneliness, magic, or she was already unstable," Kiku explained. "But it does coincide with the fact she vanishes from history."

"The question is where is she sealed?" Lily wondered aloud.

"The clock!" Arthur turned on his side. The Queen's Clock lay underneath the glass Arthur was resting on. It was working, slowly driving him crazy with time, but it never had before. "It shouldn't work. It never has! Only during the Counting, but...this time it acted strangely. Almost as if it knew where to go..."

It seemed to strike all of them at once. As realization sunk in the Queens all began to violently struggle with their bonds. Arthur's heart raced and he kept a wary eye on the clock, now nervous to be so close to it.

"The Jokers are going to release the Queen to kill us and the Kings!" Lily shrieked.

"Alfred," Arthur muttered to himself. "You're walking into a trap."

Suddenly the ground beneath them shook. The Queens yelped in shock, momentarily abandoning their attempts to escape. Then, Arthur felt the sensation that he was moving rapidly upwards towards the glass windows, and yet it didn't look like they were moving at all. The gears and cogs turning around them stayed in place, not moving down even an inch. The sensation of moving was still there, however, and the impending impact with the arch windows.

Lily screamed. Arthur braced himself for impact, his mind whirling with spells to heal injuries. But they passed through the glass unharmed and all right beside each other.

"Were we all next to each other the entire time?" Elizaveta asked in alarm.

Arthur took note of the room. It was a small, square room with black walls speckled with white paint flecks that seemed to glow. There was no furniture, no windows, and only a solitary doorway that led to black, blocky stairs. The arched glass windows were gone, as were their chains. Beside them lay their items which they all scrambled to retrieve.

Arthur snatched up the clock and headed for the exit. He turned sharply to address the other Queens. "Stay away from me. If the Jokers are trying to summon the Queen, then my magic is the only thing that can keep her at bay."

Kiku nodded. "We'll try to get out and alert the others."

"Alfred will ask for you," Elizaveta said.

Arthur shook his head. "Until I can figure this out you must keep him away from me. I know the dolt will do anything to get to me, but use any means necessary to make him understand."

The ticking in his ears was like a bomb, ready to go off at any minute. The longer he stayed still, the more wound up his nerves became. Already he felt his heart beat in time with it, sweat slipping down his forehead as his mind lost its focus. Without wasting any more time, Arthur fled.

* * *

><p>"That map is a piece of shit!" Alfred yelled. He had just regained his footing after having almost slid down a cliff side into a chasm below, covered in fog making it impossible to see the bottom. He could bet that it went all the way to the center of Hoyle. "Vash!"<p>

"Oh stop that!" Yao called. He held a hand out and helped Alfred up. "It's not Vash's fault. It's not the map's fault either. This land has no laws, I told you, not even that of physics. And if my guess is right, not even time itself."

Alfred dusted off his jacket and picked up his sword. He had it at the ready at all times, not wanting to take any chances should something jump out at them. But for the majority of the trek they had only been met with twisting pathways that lingered far too dangerously close to the edges of cliffs and thick fog that seemed to follow after them. They both kept an eye on the fog, but it seemed to have given up, sticking to hugging the landscape instead.

"God, where the hell are we?" Alfred grumbled. He ran a hand through his hair, his morale rapidly dropping. "At this rate it'll take us _months_ to find Arthur…"

Yao nodded and looked around. "I agree, but there isn't much else we can do. We have to take our time. We might miss something otherwise."

Alfred flung a hand out at the wide open space behind him. "_What_ would we miss? It's a giant, frickin' hole in the ground! This entire area shouldn't even exist, yet it does! Just like the Jokers!"

Yao quickly put a hand over Alfred's mouth, silencing him. He sternly looked in his eyes, something he rarely did with his friend, and waited until Alfred calmed down. Keeping his tone level and low he said, "Alfred, I understand your worry for Arthur and the Queens. I too am just as concerned. I know you feel that we have wasted enough time gathering the other Families and then concocting a plan, but we need patience now. It is unwise to rush into anything. Think how saddened Arthur will be if he learns you were injured while looking for him."

Alfred's shoulders sagged and he looked down guiltily. Yao hated to use such an underhanded trick such as the Arthur card, but it was his best bet to get Alfred to cool off. He was a man on a mission, and like a bull, he put his head down and charged in, only seeing red. Yao found it exhausting to keep his King under control, but he also saw it admirable that he cared so deeply for the Queen.

Suddenly, the fog remembered they were wandering around in its territory and decided to slither back into the area, only this time it covered them. Alfred held his sword at the ready, expecting a battle, but when nothing popped out resembling the two guilty Jokers, he lowered his sword. Yao's own sword was still in its sheath tied to his waist. He refused to have it out until something truly appeared. There was no telling what was friend or foe in this realm.

"Alfred?"

The King turned, looking at Yao with a raised eyebrow. That was Yao's voice, nor any of the other Families or the Jokers' voices. He heard it call his name again, and then a dark shape began to take form in the vapor. Yao put his hand on his sword, preparing to unsheathe it, Alfred standing just before him with his own raised. The voice got louder, but the tone remained gentle, and strangely enough, it even sounded slightly familiar.

"Alfred, son?" At this, Alfred lowered his sword an inch, his head tilting to the side. The form then appeared with actual human features. He had a handsome face and dirty blonde hair swept back from his face, light blue, almost grey eyes sparkling as they saw Alfred standing before him. He was dressed in an Ace outfit, but wasn't wearing his helmet and didn't have the Ace's axe. "Alfred, that _is _you."

Alfred dropped his sword to the ground in shock. "D-dad?"

The man nodded vigorously, his smile looking uncannily like Alfred's own bright one. Alfred held a shaking hand out to touch him, his fingers touching real flesh. "Wh…What? Is this…like heaven?"

Yao watched in mute shock from behind, when suddenly the fog grabbed his mouth and gripped at his arms, pressing them to his sides and forcing him to stay still. Alfred remained oblivious to this; he was too captivated by seeing his father standing before him.

"I only have a little time with you," Samuel Jones started. "But I wanted you to know… I'm so proud of you."

Alfred whimpered as a tear slipped out, and then he hugged his father. Samuel hugged him back, both of them laughing and crying, but behind Alfred the fog had picked up his sword, lifting it up so that it hovered in the creepiest of ways behind the King. The fog had started to form a face that seemed to press itself from the other side, but didn't break through. Dark holes formed to make eye sockets and a long scar of a mouth ripped across the fog. It looked at Yao, its eerie smile widening as it floated in the air, edging closer to Alfred. Yao thrashed in his hold violently, but couldn't break free.

"It's amazing," Alfred said, his voice dripping with emotion. He stepped back, holding his father out at arm's length. "I thought I'd… I just…"

"I know," Samuel chuckled. He pat Alfred on the head. "You make your old man proud, boy." He glanced over Alfred's shoulder and his irises turned black.

Alfred looked back and first saw Yao held captive by the fog, and then managed to see the sword that was now slicing right at his head. He ducked just in time. The sword clattered to the ground and laughter filled the space as the fog face vanished. Alfred looked to his father with wide, confused eyes only to see the fog swirl over him, giving the man his full Ace armor and materializing his axe in his hand.

For the first time in years Alfred saw his father standing before him as the deadly Ace of Spaces.

Samuel took a swing at Alfred's head like the fog had a moment ago, but Alfred rolled to the side, evading the hit. He stood up quickly, backing away with his hands up. The shock from the swing of emotional backlash hadn't quite caught up with him yet. He was still behind on why his father had suddenly turned to attack him.

"F-father? What's going on?" he exclaimed with a shaky voice. Samuel took another swing, luckily missing at the last minute as Alfred dodged again. He had learned a few tricks from Francis during their sparing match. "Father!"

But the Ace was silent and unchanging. He rushed Alfred, his axe ready to strike with the horrid finishing move special to only the Ace of Spades; the Death Blow. One hit from that and Alfred was done for. There was only a split second to react and Alfred had to choose his actions wisely. When he rolled he had moved close to his sword and could feel the hilt tickling his fingers just inches away. But if he reacted against his father…

Those green eyes called to him, and he grabbed his sword, lifting it up to protect himself. The Death Blow ricocheted off into the fog but did no damage to anyone. Alfred's super strength took over and he easily broke his father's pressure pushing down on him. The axe came for another blow, this time at his legs, but Alfred swung his sword down to block it. Another swing and another block.

It continued like this, Alfred spinning to dodge any fatal advances and protecting himself from sneak attacks, his father constantly coming, losing no steam. The fog holding Yao still had the same grip, but watched intensely, the same face from before appearing beside Yao's face. It urged Samual on with whispered words or encouragement. Yao stared at it, trying to discern which Joker it was, but the lack of real physical attributes made it difficult.

The Ace then raised his arms up high, leaving his mid-section open and vulnerable. Alfred caught his breath, staring at the man he once loved with all his might, and saw an opening. He spun around and away from the downward swing, his sword going out to slice the fog holding Yao, barely missing his Jack, but freeing him. And in one fell swoop he shoved his sword in through the back of his father.

Instantly the fog evaporated from around them. They were now inside some building with iridescent paint splattered on the black walls in old Hoyalian with confusing steps that ran up along the sides, across the ceiling, and into sideways doorways. Alfred pulled his sword out as his father fell to a knee. The axe, still in his hand, fell away and faded before it hit the floor.

There was no good-bye, no sound of a moan or a pained groan. Samual Jones just vanished right out of Alfred's life once more. This time Alfred saw his father pass away rather than just receiving a letter that had been sent to their house.

Yao moved to comfort his friend, although he was at a loss as to how he could exactly do so. Alfred moved away quickly, heading for stairs that looked so scale along a wall nearby. He was breathing heavily, his head dropped to look at the floor, and he paused at the corner of a doorway. His hand reached out to grasp it, fingers clenching into a fist so hard his knuckles turned white and his entire arm shook.

"Alfred…," Yao started with a soft tone.

"I'm fine," Alfred said in a strained voice. "We have to find Arthur. …I'm going to kill the Jokers."

Yao followed his King, now with his own sword out, and said nothing.

* * *

><p>The Queens ran down countless corridors, all of them looking exactly the same. Blue, red, yellow, and green old Hoyalian paint was smeared along the walls, glowing in the dark to create the only source of light in the building. They had turned corners only to find themselves in the same room they had just left, they ran down stairs that actually went up and around corners, and never once did they feel they were putting any distance between them and Arthur.<p>

After their little revelation, the trio had felt paranoid slide down their back to the point of sheer panic and terror. If the Queen's Clock truly did have the first Queen of Spades sealed inside it, and if she really was the fabled Black Lady that killed numerous Numbers, then they had no chance of protecting themselves or their Kings and Jacks. And if the Jokers were the ones to release her, that could only mean they wanted to join forces and use her power and theirs to wreak havoc on all of Hoyle.

Elizaveta had taken up the lead, her sword constantly raised above her head in case they should turn a corner and come upon a Joker. They had no idea if their Family members were inside or outside or if they were even here at all. They only hoped…

"Eli!" The Queen of Clubs stopped abruptly and turned to look out over the edge of the stairs they were standing on. Across the expanse of space between them were the Jack and King of Clubs. They were standing on an upside down staircase, looking up at the Queens. Roderich smiled in relief and held his arms out to his wife. "Jump! I'll catch you!"

The Queen wasted little time as she lifted her skirts, took three big steps back until she was pressed against the wall, and leapt out into the empty air. She felt disjointed, as if time slowed down and she was fall up, but when time started to speed up again she realized she was falling too fast, in whichever direction, it didn't matter. She wasn't going to make it.

But a hand pressed itself against her back and gave a final push.

She landed in Roderich's arms none all too gracefully, and he fell backwards, colliding into Ivan's legs. But the Family laughed in relief as they had finally been reunited. Time washed over Elizaveta as she realized she had been gone from her two men for an entire week, longer than she ever wanted to be ever again.

Lily and Kiku were stranded on the other end of the room, but were readying to jump as well. It was better to join the other Family than stay separate. Lily jumped first, but was grabbed in midair by a flash of yellow that had slammed into her, crashing into the platform on the other side of the room. She opened her eyes to see her brother hugging her tightly and Francis scurrying over to them, tears in his eyes.

"Kiku!" Hearing his name the Queen looked down, spotting his King and Jack waving furiously at him. He jumped, knowing full well they would catch him.

And they did, but when Kiku's motion caught up with them they began to teeter over the side. Kiku put a foot out to brace against the wall, and kicked up to push them onto the stairs were they lay in a heap and began laughing. Ludwig's arms encased his Queen and Jack, and he hugged them close to his chest.

Yao and Alfred emerged from the lowest staircase and looked up. They saw the other Families reunited and was relieved for them. That made their task that much easier. However, they saw no sign of a blue jacket, a little top hat sitting askew on a blond head, or furious green eyes that demanded to know where they've been. Alfred was banking on seeing and hearing that from his Queen.

And there at the top was the man in question. He was clutching his clock to his chest for dear life, stopping at the edge of the platform he was on, when the ground beneath them shook. The stairs fell away to reveal long podiums. The Hoylian words lit up, and it sounded as if they were humming, the tune echoing through all of the area that had suddenly grown far larger than it had been a moment ago. Where there were walls and upside down staircases was now emptiness that fell away to that ominous fog. Only thin stairs highlighted in green, red, blue, or yellow wound upwards. To Arthur.

Alfred took off, headed straight for his Queen. Wherever he walked, the ground lit up in blue. Yao followed, noticing his steps had the same effect. The other Families took after Alfred to the last of the kidnapped Queens.

"Stop!" Arthur shirked. He held his clock away. "Don't come any closer!"

"Arthur!" Alfred shouted. He prayed that this wasn't another trick of the fog and the Jokers. More smoke and mirrors. "Arthur, we've come to save you!"

"It's you who needs saving!" Arthur cried. He waved at them to flee. "Go! Now! They're not after me! They're after all of us! They're going to release the Black Lady and have us all killed!"

The other Queens, temporarily forgetting the original plan, backtracked and pulled their Families with them. They pleaded with them to follow, trying to explain the situation as best they could, but Alfred remained adamant.

"I won't let that happen!" Alfred declared, silencing the others. "I made a promise! I will keep it! I will protect you, Arthur!"

Arthur stared at him for a moment with a pained look. It ached to be so far apart from Alfred for what he knew had been over a week now, but he would pay the consequences if he gave into the temptation to be in his arms again.

_Let us help you with that!_

And just like that, the floor fell away from Arthur and he plummeted to the dark, bottomless pit in the middle of the ground.

* * *

><p><em>Hoshiko2's<em> cents: ONE CHAPTER LEFT! ARE YOU EXCITED? The battle continues and concludes in the next chapter. But fear not! This is only arc 1 of 2. So there will be another after this finishes. Hope to see you then!


	15. Act 1 Part 15

Arthur told himself he was dying. That's all there was to it. He was going to fall into a bottomless pit and be dead before he knew what had happened. But then strong arms caught him and he fell backwards into Alfred's chest. Or, at least Arthur thought it was Alfred's chest, but there was no one there to hold him up, and he fell back onto the cold ground. Alfred was nowhere near him when he landed.

He hadn't fallen into the pit, but rather onto a podium that was rapidly heading up towards the dark ceiling that seemed to stretch upwards forever. The podium lit up in a brilliant blue that temporarily blinded Arthur, and then it stopped moving altogether. Arthur stumbled, holding on to the Queen's Clock for dear life. It had almost slipped from his grasp when he fell.

"Arthur!" Alfred shouted. "I'm coming!"

Arthur grumbled, rubbing at his sore behind. He wanted to shout down to Alfred to stay away, but, like always, that seemed like a lost cause with the King. The man was determined to save him, only it was his own safety he needed to be concerned about.

"Don't you care for yourself?" Arthur spun around, quickly standing as the taller Joker floated down to the podium. His mask was off for the first time. It was surprising, to say the least, to see shock white hair and piercing red eyes on such a pale face. And that smile, it started to drive Arthur insane the more he stared at it. "What's wrong? Never seen a King before?"

Arthur scoffed. "The only King you are is the King of this hopelessly mad world."

The smaller Joker then appeared from behind the other Joker. He looked remarkably like Peter Kirkland, Arthur's ancestor. Of course this was a trick. The Jokers were full of cards up their sleeves.

"Cards up our sleeves?" the small Joker laughed. Arthur was thoroughly startled, having just thought the same phrase in his head. "What a great idea!"

"Jokers!" The three of them all turned to see Alfred climbing onto the podium, his sword in one hand and his snarling face staring right at the two Jokers. "I'll kill you both!"

Arthur reacted instantly, moving to help Alfred, when the taller Joker rushed him. Arthur shot off a spell at him, but it was easily deflected off into the darkness. And then, suddenly, Arthur found a sword had pierced through the clock.

He dropped it in shock, unharmed by the assault, but saw the glass had cracked and the clock had stopped ticking. He dropped to his knees and stared at it, horrified by what this could mean. If the story was true, then the Black Lady was set to return. And if she had been in this clock, then they had no chance of defeating her.

"Alfred!" Arthur shouted, his voice breaking, as he ran towards him.

The other kings had begun to arrive as well, all with their weapons at the ready to attack. The Jokers didn't seem to think them a threat and simply waited for them to make a move, but no one did. Until the podium snapped in half and Arthur was ripped away from Alfred once more.

The Jokers began cackling, their voices echoing off of nothing. The podium tilted back just enough to put space between them and the others Family members, but then Alfred did something stupid as usual. He jumped the crevice. It was only with Arthur's magic that he made it across, and straight into Arthur's arms.

"I've got you," Alfred whispered in Arthur's ear.

"I-idiot," Arthur stuttered, relieved to have Alfred's firm body pressing against him in a tight embrace. "It's me who has you…"

But Alfred didn't stay. He had his sword at the ready and charged the Jokers. The smaller Joker vanished while the taller Joker danced away from Alfred, laughing all the while. It was as if this were a game to him. He jumped over Alfred, landing on his sword, pulling at his jacket's coattails, taunting him, and pushing him off balance. It was truly an unfair fight and Arthur didn't let it remain that way for long.

His eyes glowed a bright green as he waved a hand at the Jokers. They fell to the ground, frozen by the spell. Alfred nearly collapsed, relieved to finally getting a break. He looked across the way at Arthur and ran to him. Arthur smiled as he opened his arms to Alfred, ready to finally hold him properly.

But the Jokers hadn't been frozen at all, as they suddenly appeared between the two. They laughed once, snapped their fingers, and then the King and Queen found themselves pressed up against a glass, looking at one another in alarm. To Arthur, Alfred looked as if he were in a small, square glass case. Almost like a glass playing card.

The Jokers turned and repeated the motion to the other Families. Everyone began to yell and scream in panic, but not a sound was heard. Arthur could only hear himself in his sudden prison. Even his magic could not break the glass casing.

Then, he noticed Ludwig's horrified expression. He was pointing at the taller Joker with a shaky finger and an open mouth. The Joker didn't see him, but was focused instead on Elizaveta. He hovered in the air, floating over to the Queen's case, but she too stared at the man in aghast. Arthur wondered if it was from recognition or more fear that she saw the Joker up close without his mask.

Quickly he looked to Yao and saw the man perfectly at ease. He looked to Arthur and nodded at the taller Joker. Then he made a sign over his head like a crown. Arthur furrowed his brow. He shook his head to show he didn't understand. Yao rolled his eyes and pointed at Ludwig, then made the sign again. He repeated it two more times before the Jokers' words rang in his ears.

_Never seen a King before?_

"The Joker is the King of Hearts?" Arthur shouted aloud, knowing full well no one could hear him. He corrected himself. "Of course he can't be. He must just be the image of it… But then… Why would he pick a façade? Of all the Kings he could have chosen…"

Hearts history was not Arthur's strong suit. He knew enough to get him by, but he only knew of Kings that were important. And yet, one in particular stood out to him the most; the First King of Hearts. He, too, had vanished from history. The line of Beilschmidt had survived only because the King's mistress had mothered their child before he passed. The Queen of Hearts had been infertile, or so the stories say, but it's been rumored that she and the King had just never fornicated.

So, if it were true that the King of Hearts simply vanished from history, just like the Ace of Spades and the Queen of Spades, then it was possible the Jokers weren't simply putting on an image to look like these vanished people, but that they actually _were_ them. How was this possible, Arthur thought in rising alarm.

More pressing a concern was how to get out. If this was truly a sealed glass case then they didn't have much longer to breathe. Arthur tried once more with his spells, but thought it useless. He looked to the Jokers and saw them not really doing anything but staying afloat in the air. Then he turned his attention to the others. Alfred was hacking viciously at the glass with his sword, Ivan was using his magic staff, and Vash was shooting the glass. Then, it occurred to Arthur.

They were all moving in a space that should be too cramped to move in.

Arthur looked behind him and found he was in a much larger room. When he looked back out he found the glass was gone. He had been teleported once more. Only this time, there was no way to know where to go or how to get there. He wasn't on the floor, if there was a floor, and he didn't see any clear direction to head. His body felt weightless as he stayed in the same spot.

Gulping, he took a step forward, praying it wouldn't cause him to plummet to down into the darkness again. But he was met with a solid footing, and then fell to the ground as physics regained control of his body, and he was back with the Families. However, he was free now.

The Jokers snapped back into action, confronting Arthur with their hands raised and their own eyes glowing. Arthur was caught off guard by this. He knew the men were magical, but seeing their magic so visibly portrayed before him was surprising. He expected them to be much sneakier about it, but just seeing the color alerted Arthur to knowing what spell they were flinging at him. They were red, offensive spells that meant to do damage.

He used a shield spell, having the attacks ricochet off and hit the glass cases, freeing the Families. The Jokers stopped, looking around at them as they noticed the Kings had surrounded them.

"Now that we have your attention!" the King of Hearts Joker laughed. He vanished into thin air, the Peter Joker following along, but then they returned tenfold. Literally. There were twenty of them.

They surrounded the Families, laughing and staring at them with glowing eyes. All of them were a spot-on perfect mirror image of the originals. There were no flaws, at least none that Arthur could see. But again, he thought the Jokers to be better at this than that. While a wonderfully powerful move that can easily confuse an enemy, it left them wide open defense-wise. With all of their magic going into an offensive attack, their shields were liable to break under any stress.

"Kiku!" Arthur called. The Queen of Hearts looked at him. "Your ball! Throw it!"

"Feliciano! Run and hit it so it doesn't leave the podium!" Yao shouted, catching on to Arthur's plan quickly. While the Jack didn't know magic spells very well, he did know the strengths of the Family members. Kiku's ball could pass through the fakes, but it would careen right off the edge. Feliciano's speed would prevent this.

Feliciano looked terrified to actually do something of importance for once, but started to run. Kiku, watching him warily, threw the ball, aiming it to hit one of the Jokers. It worked, and the Hearts' Joker vanished, leaving only a trail of smoke behind. The ball sailed towards the edge and Arthur feared perhaps Feliciano's speed wouldn't be enough to get there in time, but when he panicked, his speed suddenly increased dramatically.

"Throw it!" Yao shouted, aiming at one of the fake Jokers. Then, he pulled out his own sword. "Attack!"

The Families wasted no time, and the entire area dissolved into a frenzy. The Kings, Queens, and Jacks all attacked the Jokers with their items, swords flying, a gun firing loudly, and magic spells whizzing back and forth. Arthur made sure to protect his Family, but kept a watchful eye on the others just in case. He didn't want to be responsible for an international disaster if someone was horribly injured.

Yao, too, kept a close watch on the events as they unfolded. While the Jokers' fake images vanished, they were just as quick to replace them with new ones. Yao noticed that they were very selective in who they attacked; never getting too close to the Queen of Clubs and straying all of their attacks away from Hearts. Most of the offensive spells were aimed at Arthur, and they weren't very good. Arthur was much faster with his shields. It was almost as if the Jokers were just toying with them. Or, maybe, trying to wear them down.

Quite suddenly, the ground beneath them cracked again. It was then that Yao realized they had all been cornered together by Families. It split into four jagged halves, tilting away from one another, and then the thick fog made a sudden reappearance. Instinctively Alfred moved closer to Arthur. He would not wait around for the ghost of his father to return as well. These monsters didn't play fair.

Suddenly, the air around them changed. Voices drifted in and out in varying levels of volume. There was faint music and soft laughter, all of it was rabble talk that didn't hover for too long on anything for anyone to know what they were saying. Then it became all too loud all at once. They were indistinguishable voices that Alfred didn't know, and they were yelling.

"_You're such a failure!"_

"_Where will this 'skill' get you?"_

"_What an idiot!"_

"_Pipsqueak!"_

From behind Alfred, Arthur screamed in pain. He turned away sharply with his hands over his ears as the voices grew louder, pressing in against him and encasing him in these abusive screams. Alfred was pushed away by the heavy fog. His own screams melted in with the violent voices, drowning him out to his Queen. Yao, too, was engulfed in the fog and completely shoved back.

The nightmares of the past ate away at their confidence and stamina, and left them as a shell of a broken being. It was the hellish voices that came out at night with a haunting reminder that they weren't perfect, that they had made mistakes and would continue to do so, that they were hated by people, that they had hurt those they loved, and had to be told they were broken. As if there was no chance of redemption or forgiveness because _they_ said so.

It wasn't something so easily shrugged off; the inner voice of yourself destroying all of you.

Arthur had curled in on himself, although it was impossible to hide from the piercing stabs of the past. He didn't even know how to fight back. Such visions and horrific voices made it difficult to think of a spell.

Then, one singular voice spoke to him. _"No one will miss me when I'm gone. When a King dies, the kingdom moves on. There's hardly room for mourning. It's not the same for when a Queen or Jack dies. The King has to keep going without them, but the Queen and Jack lose their spot when a King dies. They can return to being normal."_

Arthur remembered that night. He clung to the image as it swirled in the haze of the pulsating screams around him. He had been standing beside Alfred as they overlooked the night sky of Clubs while they visited only a few weeks ago. It had been such a clear night that the stars called to them to come out onto the balcony of Arthur's chambers. Alfred had looked so pained, so worried he'd be an unmemorable King, unloved and hated by his people. That he'd be lost in history and he'd let his father down.

It was when Arthur felt it; that moment Alfred could drop his idiotic behavior and Arthur could be of help to him.

He had put his hand atop Alfred's resting on the railing and said… Said… Arthur panicked. What had he said?

The voices began to return and Arthur lost his grip on the image, the only saving grace he had. Instead, he turned his thoughts to single out just Alfred. Surely if he could remember such a wonderful man as his King, he'd be able to regain his footing.

Alfred had called him beautiful once. Arthur remembered it well, and it had taken his breath away. Alfred was so quick to say it, for a moment, Arthur wasn't sure whether he heard him correctly. But that blush and that small smile were a giveaway that he had, in fact, uttered those enchanting words. He had danced with him, held his hand and kissed his knuckles, caressed a strand of hair behind Arthur's ear as he looked deep into his eyes and spoke volumes of the adoration he was feeling.

It was always mutual. Alfred was so beautiful.

Arthur's magic ignited the fog, and it was brutally dissolved, the voices vanishing and the dark realm of the Jokers returning. Alfred had remained standing while Yao had fallen to his knees just like Arthur. The spells had probably been strongest over those with the harder verbal abuse; Yao from his family, and recently, the other scholars in Pearl, while Arthur had suffered it from his peers all through-out his training.

"Alfred!" Arthur started, his voice full of relief and excitement. Perhaps they were free and could leave now.

"Yes, _King_ Alfred." The men turned to see the Joker King of Hearts swoop down from the air and land swiftly on his feet. "Such an amazing man, really. A half-Ten that jumped to the top. Simply incredible. And now the King! All because of a stupid clock. In my day, you'd still be a slave."

"Stop it!" Yao snapped.

"A filthy slave that never deserved to wear that crown." The Joker whipped out a sword from the darkness. He held it well, with years of experience flowing through his veins. His outfit changed into a long navy blue jacket with red cuffs and a white sash across his chest, a brown vest with black buttons and tan slacks that slipped into black boots, and a cravat with a red Hearts jewel resting on his neck. Atop his head sat a large black hat that covered all of his head, a red Hearts jewel again sewn onto the corner, and a white feather sticking out from the side. This Joker fitted the role of a King far better than the sweaty and undignified looking Alfred.

"I am a King! The King of Spades!" Alfred shouted venomously.

The Joker laughed bitterly. "Prove it."

Alfred charged with a yell and his sword raised high. Yao and Arthur could only stand back and watch. Alfred may not have reacted to the voices that he had heard all of his life trying to constrain him, but put in the situation where one challenged him, his anger came out like a torrent, and he was unstoppable. Their swords clashed, but the Joker King was too fluid. He easily maneuvered Alfred away from him using the force of his own weight, causing the Spade King to stumble past him.

He turned once more and came again, with more strength and vitriol in his eyes as he pressed his sword down against the Joker. The Joker took a step back. He smiled, impressed by the strength, but pushed him away again. He then put a hand behind his back as if to provoke Alfred more. His smile was so condescending even Arthur was starting to grow offended by just the man's sneer alone.

"Come at me like a King!" the Joker shouted. Alfred came again, but was forced back all too easily. "Fight me! Come along, _King_! You petty little slave! How dare you wear the crown so many before you have mightily worn? Disgraceful! Fight me!"

Alfred continued to try, but his stamina and confidence was waning. Alfred was fighting much too sloppily to stop and take a moment to think. That was always his drawback. Even Ace Morgens knew that when Alfred was blinded by rage, he couldn't stop to see even his own mother if she stood between him and his opposition.

Arthur needed to find a way to distract Alfred long enough to make him calm down. His eyes began to glow and he sent a green ball of harmless light towards the charging man. Suddenly, the second Joker appeared in its way, and the spell vanished between his hands. His haughty smile challenged Arthur. Not to be deterred, Arthur shot off another spell, but the Joker was stronger. Just like his companion, they were just strong enough to deflect all of their attacks.

"But are you able to take on a Family?" Arthur asked suddenly as his thoughts caught up to him. He looked over to Yao. "For Spades!"

Yao caught his eye and nodded with an assured smile. He rushed the second Joker, jumping high in the air and landing on the Joker's back with his legs wrapped around his neck. The Joker plummeted to the ground, leaving a clear view for Arthur to see the duo still fighting. Alfred was tired now and losing the will to keep his sword up. Arthur shot off his spell again and this time it hit its target.

Alfred was thrown off balance for a moment, but a moment was all it took. He quickly calmed down and returned his focused to Arthur. The Joker King took that moment to attack in a very underhanded way. He struck Alfred with the butt of his sword right in Alfred's back. He fell forward, gasping for air as he grabbed at the back of his neck.

Arthur felt something in him snap. It was possibly his resolve, but it was more likely he was fed up with fighting the Jokers. Seeing Alfred hurt and watching as Yao struggled to fight the smaller Joker had made Arthur realize something. This was his family, and while he never had much of one when he was a child and he never knew the feeling of unity, he had it now; two men that cared for him, one that possibly even loved him. It wasn't something he'd give up so easily.

Red sparks struck the Joker King and he fell back in pain. Arthur's eyes stopped glowing the calm green from before. Now they were a bright red that seemed to set his face ablaze. He strode forward with strong, poised steps, his hands at his sides that burned raw magic, and he began firing spells at the Joker, forcing him to back away from his King.

"You've taken me from my home, stolen these Queens, offered no validation for your actions, endangered the lives of the four kingdoms, and made me remember my horrid past," Arthur said smoothly. He stood at Alfred's side, his magic still attacking the Joker. "You ripped me apart from the only family I've ever had! I will kill you if you dare hurt either one of them!"

The Jokers stopped simultaneously. Then, their magic swarmed around Arthur like angry bees, coming down upon him in a wave. It was dangerous, enough to kill the entire Spades Family. The other Families watched, alarmed and immobile to be of any help.

The magic was slapped aside by the shield of Arthur's magic; the true might of the Queen of Spades. However, this left him incredibly vulnerable as he had exhausted all of his magic to protect the Family. He faltered, and in that step, the Joker King made his move. He charged at Arthur with his sword out, but Alfred was faster. He shoved Arthur away in an attempt to save him, his own sword having fallen from when Arthur's spell distracted him.

But it was a ploy. The smaller Joker had taken that moment to slip free of Yao. He flew above the others, took aim, and shot a magic spell right at the King. Alfred was shot clear through his chest. His body fell forward with the movement of the attack, and he fell limply onto the ground with a hard thud.

It was still. Everything was still. The entire world. And then it cracked.

Arthur screamed until his voice broke and he rushed to Alfred's side. The man was still breathing, still alive, but barely. His suit was ruined, the blue now turning a purple as red began to seep out from underneath his wounds. His breathing was shallow and he kept his eyes closed. Arthur had his head in his lap as his hands hovered over the wound.

"_Dare me fortitudo, quattuor regna. Cor meum est aperto ad dandum mei animus. Non derelinquas mei. Amo te, dea de tempus. Da me id quod cor meum vult. Per te, ego tempero tempus. Et expecto ad sum liber."_

Arthur continued to mutter this spell fervently, but the wound didn't heal. It was the same healing spell Arthur had tried multiple times before in practice, but it had never worked. No Queen has ever gotten it to work. He had once said there was always a missing piece, but he didn't know what. No one did.

He was crying now as he felt utterly useless. Alfred was dying in his arms and all he could do was speak a dead language and cry. He was a horrible Queen, and a worse significant other to Alfred.

"I'm sorry," Arthur gasped. He gave up the spell and turned his attention to Alfred. He wanted to see him, to speak to him, to remember that smile and the light in his eyes before… "I'm sorry I can't… I'm just… I'm so useless. Oh Alfred!"

The King was smiling somehow. He looked satisfied, happy that it was him and not Arthur wounded on the ground and dying. He placed a gentle hand against Arthur's cheek as if to soothe him, but it did little to stop Arthur's tears.

"Hey… You're not useless," he whispered, his voice so weak and frail. "Not to me…"

"But I can't even do a bloody spell!" Arthur cried. He grabbed at Alfred's hand, clutching it to his face to soak in the last of the King's warmth. "I can't save you!"

"No… You saved me… Do you remember what you said to me that night… in Clubs…on the balcony…?" Arthur cried harder and shook his head. He couldn't remember. It was like the memory had been plucked straight from his head, the words stolen, and all that remained was a dark void. "I remember… It meant the world to me… Arthur… You mean the world to me… I love you…"

Arthur's voice caught in his throat. The words he'd always wanted more than acceptance of his peers, more than the faith of his people or the bond of a friendship. He had just wanted love, specifically Alfred's. And then, it was gone as Alfred's body went limp and his hand slipped from Arthur's, slapping onto the ground.

The other Families had watched in shock. Lily began to cry and she pushed into her brother's chest. He pat her back as he dropped his head in mourning. Feliciano removed his hat and looked to the ground, tears slipping out. The Kings bent their heads out of respect, comforting their Queen or Jack.

Arthur bent over Alfred's body and cried until he couldn't breathe. He clutched his lapels, shaking him in a vain attempt to awaken the dead King. He muttered nothing as tears splattered onto the blood stained suit.

"Alfred, you stupid! No! You promised me! You said we'd always rule together! Don't leave me! A King may have to rule without his Queen, but a Queen cannot rule! He has to live without a kingdom or his King! That is not a life worth living! Please, Alfred! No!" He fell atop the body and muttered the spell one more time, but Alfred remained lifeless.

"Please… I remember now… I remember what I said…" It had come back so suddenly. It was as if a hand that had scooped out the memory had brought it back. It all matched back up perfectly. Alfred's bright eyes, but worried smile, and Arthur's hand on his. "I remember… I told you that… I would miss you… That you were important to me… and I'd always think of you…as a great King… Oh Alfred…! I…I love you!"

The words were too little too late. He had hesitated too long, overcome by the shock of the attack by the Jokers. It was as they had said, love will cost you. The Spades King had acted so heroically for his love, he had forgotten about himself, and had been killed because of it. Now Arthur's declaration fell flat, dead.

Yao put a hand on Arthur's shoulder, but the Queen was inconsolable. He looked down at Alfred, his first real friend, and felt tears threatening to slip out, but when a light caught his eye out of his peripheral vision, he turned his head in anticipation. At first he thought it was the Jokers, but the two had stopped to watch Arthur's break down instead. They seemed disappointed, but the light then caught their attention too. It was coming from the now broken Queen's Clock that lay forgotten at the edge of the podium.

_Tick…Tock…Tick…Tock…Tick Tock Tick Tock_

The hands began to swirl and small, soft green lights fluttered up into the air like fireflies. They flew up higher and higher until they were the height of a person. More and more came from the clock. A faint image of a woman in a blue dress began to take shape.

She had long blonde hair that was pulled back by a golden clip in the shape of Spades. Atop her head sat a glittering crown exactly like past female Queens of Spades had worn. Her dress was large, but she herself was not. It was layered with folds going up to meet at Spades pendants that dangled on the dress. The top portion of her dress faded into a dark purple, and a corset top hugged her torso. Her sleeves were slightly puffy and came all the way down to her wrists. Jewelry that had been sealed away in the Palace for centuries was glittering on her neck and hanging from her ears as if they were brand new.

However, she wasn't real. She was merely an image. Everyone could easily see right through her as she stepped from the clock to walk through the air towards the Spades Family. She made no noise as she walked. Her green eyes were trained on Alfred's body. She seemed harmless enough, a far cry from the legends of the Black Lady.

She stopped before Alfred, and then looked at Arthur. Her voice was but a whisper and she, surprisingly spoke English rather than old Holyelian. "You wish to save this man?"

Arthur nodded slowly, his eyes wide as he stared in disbelief at the first Queen of Spades. He knew her name without asking. "Yes…Queen Alice."

The Queen smiled gently at this. Leaning over she began to say the same spell as Arthur had a moment ago. One hand reached out to trail over Alfred's body from his waist up to his neck. Then, it hovered over his lips and she raised her hand up. Alfred breathed in air as color returned to his face and the blood on his chest evaporated with the light.

Satisfied with her completed work, the Queen righted herself and returned her attention to Arthur. "Your love has saved this man…"

She then faded back into the green, swirling lights and vanished. Alfred was still motionless in Arthur's arms, but then he took a breath. His eyes opened and they were no longer dull and empty of his life, but now brimming with that same radiant hue he'd always had since Arthur had first met him. He placed a hand on Arthur's cheek as he smiled and oh how lovely that color was on him as it flushed his cheeks.

"You…did the spell?"

"Alfred!" Arthur leapt on top of Alfred, his arms encircling around his neck as he hugged him. He was almost shaking as he began to cry.

Alfred sat up, one hand on Arthur's back and the other supporting them both. He chuckled, knowing full well why Arthur was crying, but he didn't dare try to stop him. He was just as grateful to be alive again. They shared a kiss as Arthur clutched at Alfred's lapels. A moment later, Yao was hugging him as well. Alfred managed to sit up all the way and circled an arm around his Jack. It felt good to have the Family back together again.

The darkness began to seep away, and sunlight from the real world cracked the ceiling above them. The ground shuddered underneath them and then went still as it became part of the earth again. The staircases and the walls and all the old writing vanished, leaving only a crater in the ground. And the Land of the Jokers was promptly erased from Hoyle.

However, the Jokers remained. They were floating in the air just out of reach of anyone, but didn't look harmless; they were just watching everyone with stoic expressions. They had reverted back into their Joker attire.

Arthur jumped up and pointed a hand at them. The Joker King held up a hand. "Whoa, we're not here to cause any more trouble. Our mission is complete."

"Mission?" Yao stood as well and stared up at them. "You mean there was some different ulterior motive?"

The smaller Joker laughed and nodded. "Yup! And you all passed! Congratulations!"

"How do we know you won't bother us again?" Arthur asked suspiciously.

"Well," the Joker King started. He put a finger to his chin and looked up thoughtfully. "This _was_ only phase one of our plan, but let us know if the voices get worse! Then we'll come back!"

Arthur dropped his hand. "What…?"

The Jokers only laughed and then put back on their masks. Their bodies slowly vanished with only their bobbing masks remaining. They clattered to the ground at Alfred's feet. He picked them up and turned them around to inspect them.

"These feel really old…," he mumbled.

"Hey!" The Family looked over to see the other Families heading their way. They rushed to meet them in the middle of the crater.

"If this is all over with, we will go home now," Francis said. He put a hand on Lily's shoulder. "You have kept your promise. Our Queen is safe with us, as are all of the others."

Alfred then fell to one knee and bowed his head. "As the King of Spades I humbly thank you for all of your efforts to help rescue my Queen. Thank you. Your help will not go unnoticed by Spades for generations to come."

A hand was thrust out to Alfred as a sign of friendship. The King of Hearts smiled down at him, helping him to stand with them. "The four kingdoms really should work together more."

"Who knows, maybe we'll get something done for a change," Ivan chuckled.

The Kings sealed it with firm handshakes. Their Queens and Jacks watched on in approval.

In the coming weeks the four Kings would meet again in Diamonds to sign the Four Kingdom Treaty, which guaranteed peace between the kingdoms, and promised aid should any kingdom call upon them for help. The Queens and Jacks also introduced an arranged meeting for the Families once a year in the same place where the Land of the Jokers used to be. The area has no traces of magic ever being there and is now referred to as _Aequalis Terra_; Equal Land.

The King and Queen of Spades' relationship only intensified after that. The King returned to treating his Queen to daily presents of roses and in turn, the Queen took his King out for walks along the beach or to their special place where no Number could find them. The King continued to hammer out new inventive ideas, and with help from the King of Clubs, Spades was well on its way to surging ahead in technology once more.

The Jack of Spades would not rest about this issue with Queen Alice's ghostly appearance. With the Queen's Clock broken, he looked into research on the Queen, sometimes not leaving the library for days on end. But no matter, the King and Queen were there to ensure his health stayed stable. Why, he even took vacations with the couple to other counties to get his mind off of the situation, but he had the King and Queen under watch more than anything. They were getting far too intimate at times.

The Kingdom of Spades welcomed their Family back with a celebration unlike any other. It lasted for an entire week as the people had thought their Family was surely lost to the Jokers. In due time the story of Spades spread to the four kingdoms until it became legend.

And what of the Jokers? That is another story of Spades saved for another day.

_End of Act 1._

* * *

><p><em>Hoshiko2<em>'s cents: Finally! This act is done! Now comes Act 2, but that will start in September. I hope you all enjoyed the ride.

If you'd like to ask me a question about anything in the story, please feel free to send me an ask on my tumblr account: 2kokoro. You are also free to ask any character an ask as well, and they will answer in character!

Thank you for reading!


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